


standing in the dust (of what's left of us)

by redhairedmuses



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Din being the Space Dad we deserve, Din is bad with feelings, Din would die for this kid, Eventual Romance, Family Feels, Feelings Realization, Forehead Touching, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Mentions of Slavery, Oral Sex, Panic Attacks, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Past Violence, Platonic Cuddling, Smut, Touch-Starved, and there was only one bed, but he's a good dad and that's what matters, mentions of human trafficking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:13:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 38,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23018365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhairedmuses/pseuds/redhairedmuses
Summary: Din Djarin never expected to hear the name Amir Cordova again. And for the last two years, it was never spoken, mentioned, or even whispered.Then someone sends him a transmission, begging for him to help them find their sister. And that someone happens to be Amir Cordova.20,000 credits to find his sister and return her safely home.Should be easy enough.--Amir Cordova was hesitant to call Mando. After their relationship abruptly ended, leaving Amir bruised and bloody on a cold and stormy planet, he wasn't so sure about this. Sure, he had tried contacting him two years ago and no response, so why would he expect anything different this time?But he was desperate. His sister was missing and he was willing to pay anything to get her back.20,000 credits should be reasonable, right?--title is inspired by the song 'Walk Through the Fire' by Zayde Wolf and Ruelle.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 52
Kudos: 104





	1. old faces and old feelings

**Author's Note:**

> hello friends! 
> 
> this is my first ever Star Wars fan-fic. i've never written Star Wars before but i adore this fandom. i recently watched The Mandalorian (twice) and fell in love with Din and his story. not mention that Baby Yoda is adorable as heck and i've seen way too many memes of them on my tumblr to count. 
> 
> hope you all enjoy!
> 
> \- natalie
> 
> note: also, any mistakes that i make are mine and mine alone.

* * *

_Incoming transmission. Sender - unknown. Location - unknown._

_"_ _Mando?"_

A watchful and quiet Din Djarin straightened in his chair at the sound of a very, familiar voice. 

_"It's Amir Cordova. Hey, look, I'm sure you weren't expecting to hear my voice, but I wouldn't be calling you unless it was urgent - "_

There was an audible sigh, and Din's finger twitched on the throttle. 

" - _And I know I am probably the last person you want to hear, but just, please listen. My sister, Maris, was kidnapped. I don't know who. And I don't know why. But I wouldn't be asking for your help unless I knew you could do the job. She was last seen on Tatooine in Mos Eisley about 2, maybe 3 days ago - "_

_Why does everyone suddenly want to go to Tatoonie?_ Din thought with a sigh. He continued to listen to the transmission.

Amir's voice crackled again through and Din's ears perked at the next few words. 

_"I've got 20,000 credits with your name on them. I'll be in waiting at Mox's cantina. I hope I'll see you soon, Mando."_

The transmission ended with static, and Din leaned forward to switch off the feed. He leaned back in his chair, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. 

Amir Cordova. 

Now, that was a name he had not heard in a long time. Almost two years if he recalled correctly. 

He remembered the first time he met Amir on Bracca. 

He had just finished a job on some isolated, backwater planet, and after returning to the Guild on Nevarro, Karga had a new quarry lined up for him. On Bracca, of all places. Karga warned him that ex-Imperials were still in the area, but most had gone underground. So with luck, they would just keep their heads low to the ground and keep their distance. After picking up the puck from Karga, Din took off in _The Razor Crest_ , landed on the stormy and rocky planet, and strolled into the seediest cantina he'd ever seen. 

Most of the patrons kept their distance from him, but they still kept one eye on him at all times. He barely had a moment to spare when he found himself in the middle of a fight with some very angry ex-Imperials and a slightly tipsy pilot. Some punches were thrown. He faintly remembers someone shooting a blaster and it grazing his beskar And when the fighting ended, two ex-Imps were dead, the others had escaped, and that pilot was supporting a broken nose, bruised ribs, and a nasty cut above his eye. And his tracking fob had been destroyed in the process. Angry for the destruction of her cantina, the owner, a burly-looking Dowutin with an angry scar over her eye, threw them out and threatened to have them both arrested if she ever caught them again. 

Thrown out in the rain with a drunken pilot (who had started the fight in the first place), Din found himself in a bit of a predicament. He retrieved the broken tracking fob from his pocket, glaring at it angrily from beneath his helmet. With no fob, his quarry was as good as -

"I can fix that fob for you," the pilot muttered, holding a rag to his nose. He was sitting on a couple of crates, wincing as he applied pressure to his bloody nose. The kid spat a mixture of spit and blood onto the ground.

"I think you've done quite enough, kid," Din growled in return. He stuffed the fob back into his pocket and started trekking his way back to the _Razor Crest._ _Hopefully, this quarry was not a lost cause and he could -_

"I'm not a kid, Mando!" the kid shouted back like some, well, spoiled child. 

Din waved him off, ignoring him. He had more important things to think about, like how he was going to track that 500 credit bounty. He heard shuffling and what sounded like the pilot scrambling to his feet and footsteps behind him. Annoyed, Din unhooked his holster and retrieved his blaster. When he spun around to aim the blaster in the pilot's face, he was also staring down the barrel of a blaster. He noticed the Rebel Alliance insignia on the hilt; the kid was from the Rebellion Or at least, he was. 

"C’mon, Mando, I'm offering to help you, and you wanna point that blaster in my face?" the kid said. Din heard the click of the blaster's safety be removed and the kid's finger inch towards the trigger.

Din smirked under his helmet. Alright, so the kid had guts, but he still had so much to learn. Without even blinking an eye, he shot out his hand, snatched the kid's wrist, smacked the blaster free, threw the kid over his shoulder before finally dropping him to the ground. The kid groaned and reached for his blaster, and Din kicked it aside. 

"Okay, you're good, I'll admit that. Your reputation definitely proceeds you, oh mighty Mandalorian," the kid grunted, still lying flat on his back. The kid sat up, groaning, "but you still need my help with that fob."

"I don't need your help. I work alone," Din clipped. He retrieved the fallen blaster and tossed it into the kid's hands, who scrambled to catch it. "Now, get lost before I put a hole between your eyes."

"Hey, I know who your bounty is!"

Din continued on his way, boots squelching in the mud with each step he took.

"Kraigon Bix, right?" the kid shouted back. "Big guy with tattoos from head to toe? Used to work as an enforcer for the Imps? Killed a couple of Mandalorians about a decade ago if I'm not mistaken..."

Din paused his stride and then slowly turned to the kid again. The blood on his face had started to dry, and he could see the bloodstains on the collar of his shirt. The kid's lips had curled into a smirk. 

"It would be nice to get revenge on that son of a bitch, right? I can help you get that quarry and you would just owe me a _small_ favor," the kid shrugged. “So, what do you say?”

Din's brows furrowed; this obnoxious, impossible kid was enjoying this way too much. The kid clambered to his feet, dusted off his pants, and stuck out his hand for him to shake. 

"The name's Amir," the kid said, flashing him a smile. 

Din forced every fiber in his being not to grab the kid by the throat and throttle him. Or punch him in the stomach. Or shoot him. After a beat of silence, he slowly took the kid's - _Amir_ \- hand and shook it. 

Judging from the grin on Amir's lips, something in his gut told him that he was going to regret this...

_hrrmm..._

A low-pitch whine jolted him from his memory, and Din instinctively turned to check on the Child. It's tiny hand curled around the worn blanket and shifted under the blanket. Din reached across to stroke the Child's cheek, and then swipe his thumb over his wrinkled forehead. The Child didn't stir, only sighing and falling back to sleep. 

Din leaned back and then shifted his helmet's gaze to his sleeping son beside him. It had been a while since he last landed a decent job (and that paid well), and it would do him and the Child some good to stretch their legs. Not to mention Peli did owe him a favor. But, did he really want to take the risk after last time? 

After wrestling with the pros and cons, with a disgruntled sigh and a muttered ' _ah, what the hell,'_ Din flipped a couple of switches, punched a few buttons, and primed the hyperdrive. He took one final look at his charge and then punched the throttle forward, launching them into hyperspace.

Din flipped on the autopilot and leaned further back into his chair. He tapped his gloved fingers on the armrest. His mind wandered, and he couldn't help but wonder what life had done for Amir Cordova. And in a few hours, he would soon find out. 

When they exited hyperspace, the _Crest_ lurched forward before settling after the jump. Din glanced back his charge, and to his relief, it was still sleeping. Hopefully, the Child would still be sleeping when they touched down and make their way to Peli's. She adored the little whomp rat, and after last time, Din was sure she would happily watch him while he dealt with -

"This is Mos Eisley Control Tower. We are tracking you, head to Bay three-five, over." 

Din flipped a switch above his head and sighed, "Copy that. Locked onto three-five."

Din steered the _Crest_ ahead, diving towards the dusty, sandy planet that was Tatooine. His gloved fingers gripped the controls tightly, and something stirred deep in his gut. He was taking a huge risk coming back here, but he needed the money, and that selfish, son of a bitch was willing to pay. 

The ship quickly made it through the atmosphere and skimmed over the sandy dunes that stretched far and wide. The engines were holding steady, purring like a Loth cat, and everything was as it should be. Din engaged the landing gear, peering through the glass as Bay three-five came into view. The doors were sliding open, and Din eased the _Crest_ to touch down. 

"Never thought I'd be back on this sand dune," Din muttered as he eased himself out of the chair. 

He stretched his arms over his head, cracking his back, before shifting his gaze to his charge. The Child had stirred, wrinkling its forehead and then slowly, big brown eyes opened, and a tiny mouth let out a yawn, revealing those sharp teeth Din had grown very familiar with. He gathered the Child in his arms, adjusting its weight to where it slowly began waking from its nap. 

“Sorry to wake you kid, but there’s something I need to do,” Din said.

Din carefully gathered a large satchel (containing most of the Child's things like toys, mostly toys) and made his way down the ladder and off his ship. The loading door squeaked as it opened and standing there with arms crossed, a wrench in one hand, and a scowl on her face was Peli Motto. 

She waved the wrench in his direction, snapping, "Six months you've been off playing bounty hunter, and _now_ you decide to show up? No warning? No call?" Peli scoffed and shook her head. She gestured the wrench at him again. "And you brought the kid! Jeez, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you've dropped in for a favor."

"I need a favor, Peli," Din cut in. 

The Child let out a giggle, its tiny clawed hands reaching out for Peli. She rolled her eyes and strode up to Din, eyes narrowing. She ran her fingers over the Child's ear, earning a coo of content. Peli's eyes softened but then hardened when she met Din's gaze.

"Of course, you do,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “Let me guess you need me to watch the kid while you find another job?"

"I already have one," Din replied. "The contact wanted to meet me here."

Peli snorted and shoved the wrench onto her tool belt. She gestured for Din to hand over the Child. Din deposited the Child into her waiting arms, watching as it laughed and cooed. She booped it on the nose, releasing a squeal from the little one. 

"You are too cute, kiddo," Peli sighed. She turned her attention back to Din. "Alright, fine, I'll watch the kid. But it'll cost you extra." She gave him a pointed look.

"Fair enough," Din agreed. 

Din adjusted the rifle strapped across his chest and ran a finger over his charge's ear. The Child eagerly took his finger and squeezed it, cooing and tilting its head at him. Din murmured something under his breath, barely loud enough for Peli to hear, and tapped the Child under its chin. He turned his gaze to Peli, his tone changed from caring parent to business. Peli's lips had curled into a smirk, and her expression had mischief written all over. He cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

"I should only be a few hours," he said. "I'll be back before nightfall." 

"Good luck, Mando, and don’t worry about the kid. It’ll be fine and I promise – _no droids_ ," Peli said. She turned on her heel and starting walking back towards her office, cooing and playing with the Child in her arms. 

_They're safe,_ Din reminded himself as he made his way out of Bay three-five. _Peli will watch them. They will be just fine._

Din continued his way into the town, passing by the familiar display of broken Stormtrooper helmets atop of spikes. At least two more had been added since he was last here. He made a right, then another left, and followed down the stairs that led to Mox's cantina. The doors slid open, and Din strode inside.

The cantina was fairly busy. Patrons ranging from humans, Jawas, a couple of Rodians, a pair of Twi’leks, and one Nikto. One very angry, scarred, and muscular Nikto. They growled at Din the second they made eye contact. Most were minding their own business, drinking and chatting quietly amongst themselves. Others were listening to the band playing in the background, but Din’s mind was elsewhere.

He gazed over the cantina, searching for a familiar mop of curly brownish-black hair and green eyes. Luckily, he did not have to look far. Slumped over in a corner booth was the man he had been looking for: Amir Cordova. 

Din gritted his teeth and pressed on to the booth, careful not to bump shoulders with anyone. When he was just inches away from the booth, Amir lifted his head, and Din found himself staring down a shell of the Amir he once knew. Dark bags under his eyes. Unshaven. Clothes disheveled. And there around his neck was the silver chain that Din had only seen a handful of times.

Amir was a wreck. 

Those green eyes blinked up at him, lips pulling into a grin and head cocking to the side. 

"Hey Mando," Amir croaked. "Long time, no see."

_Damn, he sounds awful,_ Din winced under his helmet. 

"I like the new beskar. It's all -" Amir waggled his fingers with a chuckle. " _shiny._ "

_And drunk. He’s drunk._

Din's brows furrowed.

“I’m not drunk if that’s what you’re thinking,” Amir said. He shrugged his broad shoulders. “A bit sleep deprived, sure. But definitely not drunk.”

Despite Din’s expression being hidden under his helmet, Amir still let out a laugh and shook his head. With a sigh, the kid made a move to stand. Din's fingers hovered over his blaster. The kid - _Amir,_ he reminded himself - noticed this and held up his hands, palms facing him. 

"Look, I don't wanna fight you, Mando," Amir said, slowly sinking back into the booth. His shoulders slumped. "I just wanna talk, alright?"

"Then talk," Din snapped. 

Amir gestured to the seat across from him.

"Do you wanna sit?"

"I'd rather not."

"Still don't trust me, I see."

"How can I?" Din growled. His hand instinctively went to his blaster, but he didn't draw it. "You lied to me."

"Not everything, Mando," Amir retorted. Amir's brows furrowed. “And you’ve kept your fair share of secrets from me too, remember?”

A beat of silence passed between them. Din withdrew his hand from his blaster. Amir gestured again for him to sit, and finally, Din took up on his offer, unbuckled his rifle, sat in the booth. 

"Look, hate me all you want, alright? But believe me, you weren't exactly my first choice," Amir snarled. He took a large swig of the drink in front of him, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. 

Din watched as Amir dug into his pocket and retrieved a small holoprojector. Din noticed the moment of hesitation as Amir ran his thumb over the holoprojector. With a sigh, Amir switched on the holoprojector, revealing a young girl, around 12 years old. Frizzy blonde hair, freckles, and a gap-toothed grin. 

"This is my half-sister sister, Maris. She was taken about 3 weeks ago from Hosnian Prime when I was off-world on a job," Amir said. "I didn't get the news until 3 days later when my step-mother sent me a transmission."

"What happened?" Din asked.

"Someone broke into the apartment, grabbed Maris, and then they vanished. No remembers seeing or hearing anything," Amir took another sip of his drink. He ran a hand through his hair. "I knew the authorities wouldn't be able to find her, so I grabbed my ship and went looking. Managed to track down some leads which led me here to Tatoonie and why I called you."

He swiped right on the projector, and another image of Maris popped up. It looked recent, taken within the last week or so. The image was blurry and out of focus, but the frizzy curls and gap-tooth were a dead giveaway. She looked frightened, scared, and alone. 

Din felt his heart clench at the sight of Maris, and he felt his fingers twitch. He watched as Amir switched off the holoprojector and stuffed it into his pocket. Amir ran a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked so tired as if he hadn't slept in days. 

"Look, I know you hate me, and you have every right not to trust me, but - " Amir paused and let out in a shaky breath. Din could see the pain and guilt written on Amir's face, and it sent a pang through his gut. "Shit, Mando, I need to find her. I can't lose her. She's all I have left. My own step-mother blames me for her kidnapping, and I - I can't have that on my conscience."

Din sighed, helmet tilting down. Hours ago, he was wrestling with the thought of sitting down with the kid and hearing him out. Now, here he was: being offered a job that would pay, _but_ it also meant he would be working with Amir Cordova.

Amir Cordova, who is a liar, a thief, a damn-good pilot, a decent shot with a blaster, and his friend. 

_Was,_ he told himself. _Amir_ was _his friend._

Din's gaze turned to Amir and sighed. 

_I'm going to regret doing this,_ he said to himself. 

"Alright, kid, where do we start?" Din found himself asking. 

Amir's head shot up, curly hair falling over his eyes. He looked stunned, eyes wide and mouth agape. He quirked a brow to him.

"You're gonna help me?" Amir asked. "But I - "

"Look," Din cut in, holding up a gloved hand. Amir closed his mouth and sat back in the booth. "I'll help you find your sister. You pay me what I am owed, and then you and I are done, understood?"

Amir's lips quirked into that obnoxious grin Din remembered from two years ago. 

"Stop looking at me like that, kid," Din growled again. 

"Aw, c'mon Mando, you know you love it," Amir snickered. "It'll be just like the old days. You and me. Working together on jobs, getting into trouble..."

_Now I know I'm going to regret this._

Din narrowed his eyes and, with a sigh, drew out his blaster, set it to stun, and shot Amir in the chest. The kid let out a yelp, dropped like a sack of potatoes, his head smacking the table and alerting the other patrons in the cantina. All eyes turned to Din as he stowed his blaster, got up, buckled his rifle back on, and lifted Amir's body over his shoulders. He turned to the patrons who all stared at him with various looks of confusion, excitement, and fear. 

"Kid had too much to drink," Din said as he walked towards the entrance. He had one arm steadying Amir's dead weight while the other searched for some credits. He tossed the few he had on him to the bartender and said, "Keep the change." Back turned to the cantina, Din walked out the front door with an unconscious ex-Rebel pilot over his shoulder and a new job. 

* * *


	2. of droids and ships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amir wakes with a massive headache, an unfamiliar face, and a very familiar, very stubborn Mandalorian. 
> 
> Things just don't seem to change, do they?
> 
> Well, okay, the green-bean looking thing is new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! here is chapter two for my mandalorian fan-fic! it was a lot of fun to write and i hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> note: any mistake i make is mine and mine alone.
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

_When Amir first stepped foot onto the Razor Crest with a toolbox in one hand and a duffle bag in the other, he was appalled by the conditions that the mysterious Mandalorian was currently living. A semi-decent area for people to stand around and chat, but no place to sit and converse. There appeared to be a weapons cabinet just steps from the ladder that led up to the cockpit. In the corner, there was a small closet - well, if you even want to call it that - containing a shabby cot that he couldn't believe was where the Mandalorian slept. Or did he even sleep at all?_

Maybe he's part droid, and he doesn't need sleep, _Amir wondered. He held back a laugh and bit the inside of his cheek. That would certainly explain the attitude problem._

_He continued to peruse the Crest, but it took little time. Someone could turn in a full circle, and the tour would be over. To his left, Amir could hear the heavy footsteps of the Mandalorian walking towards him. He held out a gloved hand, and there was the broken tracking fob, still sparking and making staticky beeps. Amir bit his lip. It was in bad shape, but he knew he could fix it. He took the fob and glanced at the Mandalorian._

_"I don't suppose you have a place I can work my magic?" Amir asked as the Mandalorian brushed past him towards the ladder._

_"No." came the stern reply._

_Before Amir had the chance to say anything, the Mandalorian was already climbing the ladder and gone. He surveyed his surroundings and found no logical place to sit. Did this man not believe in chairs?_

_"Okay, floor it is," he mumbled._

_Amir situated himself onto the floor, pressing his back against the wall beside the ladder and dragging his toolbox beside him. He propped the toolkit open, rifled through some of the dozens of tools, before finally settling on the one he needed. Amir began his work, fiddling with the fob, and slowly piecing it back together._

_"Amir?"_

_"Amir?"_

_"Amir, can you hear me?"_

_bbbrrr?_

Amir stirred to the sound of footsteps, muffled voices, and what seemed like - _wait_ , a small child babbling in his ear? His nose wrinkled, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a pair of big brown eyes staring back at him. Their eyes locked onto each other for a moment until finally, the brown eyes blinked. Amir let out a stifled shout, scrambling back before smacking his head against metal. He grunted, his hand immediately reaching back to clutch at his aching head.

"Oh good, you're awake," someone said to his left. 

Amir winced and drew his hand away from his head. No blood, but it hurt like hell. There was going to be a bruise there tomorrow. He closed his eyes before slowly opening them, and there was that brown-eyed, wrinkly green _thing_ standing just feet from him. It almost didn't look real until it titled its head towards him. He cocked his head to the side, and the green thing mimicked his motion in return. Amir's eyes widened.

_What the hell?_

"Uh, why is that thing staring at me? Is it going to try to eat me?" he asked aloud. 

Someone laughed, and Amir turned his head. In the doorway was a short human woman with frizzy reddish-brown hair, pale skin, and a huge wrench in her right hand. And to Amr's surprise, the Mandalorian was nowhere to be found. 

"Don't worry about the kid, it's just checking on you," the woman said, gesturing her wrench to the green-wrinkly thing she called 'a kid.' "You hit your head pretty hard."

_This thing is a kid?_ Amir asked himself. His gaze returned to the green - _the kid -_ and gave it a wave. The kid cocked its head to the side again before cooing and starting to walk? waddle? towards him. Amir leaned down to hold out his hand to the kid, but before he even had a chance, the Mandalorian appeared, scooping the kid into his arms and disappeared.

Once they were out of earshot, the woman walked up to him and sat down on a stool. 

"Now, care to explain to me why Mando came storming in here with your knocked-out ass over his shoulder?" the woman asked, nudging his knee with the wrench.

Amir ran a hand through his hair and over his face. He sighed, leaning his head against the wall. He reached up and grazed his fingers against the chain around his neck. 

"I may or may not have said a few things to him, and he may have gotten offended," Amir said. 

The woman thumped the wrench against his knee, causing him to yelp and rub at the now sore area. Amir glared at the woman who huffed at him. 

"Yeah, I figured that out when he brought you here. The name's Peli Motto," the woman - _Peli -_ said. Amir shook her free hand and introduced himself.

"Amir Cordova."

"Pleasure to meet you," Peli said. She hopped off the stool and dusted off her pants. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Amir watched, confused, as Peli disappeared from the room. He ran a hand over his face and groaned. To his surprise, Peli returned not a second later, poking her head around the corner, and jerking her head towards the exit and startling him when she asked, "You coming, kid?" 

With a huff, Amir slowly got to his feet and followed the woman. _Why does everyone insist on calling me “kid”?_ He walked out of the hallway, and there was the _Razor Crest._ Amir shook his head in disbelief, letting out a whistle. He was amazed that this old girl could still fly, (let alone jump into to hyperspace), after all the stunts he and Mando pulled a few years ago. He walked up to the ship and placed a hand on a panel. 

"I can't believe this hunk of junk still flies," Amir muttered, tapping his fingers against the metal. His lips curled into a smile and felt something tug at his chest. He placed his hand against the ship. "How are you doing, old girl? Still run a little ragged, I assume?" 

"I heard that," came the modulated voice Amir knew so well. 

_Don't you always?_ Amir sighed. 

Amir turned, and there was that broody Mandalorian with the kid from before in the crook of his arm. The Child was chewing on something wrapped around their neck by a black cord. From the looks of things, it was something metal. Amir quirked a brow and gesturing to the kid in the Mandalorian's arms. 

"The new dad vibe looks good on you, Mando," Amir teased with a wink.

There was a huff, followed by a child's giggle. 

"Would you like to get shot again? It won't be set to stun this time," the Mandalorian retorted. There was a hint of sass in his tone, and Amir found his eyebrows rising as a hollow laugh escaped. 

Amir shook his head, holding both hands in surrender. He knew better than to get on the wrong side of a Mandalorian. Besides, he had done it once before and still regretted it to this day. In the Mandalorian's arms, the Child let out something that was a mixture of a snort and a hiccup and continued to gnaw on the metal trinket in their tiny clawed hands.

"So, the - uh - the kid? Care to tell me how they ended up with you?" Amir asked as the Mandalorian walked towards him. 

"A bounty," was the sharp reply. 

"Yours?"

There was a pause, and the Child let out a whine. Amir's heart stuttered at the sound. A beat passed, and then the Mandalorian replied with a quiet, "No."

_Right and I'm the Prince of Naboo,_ Amir huffed as the Mandalorian brushed past him and walked aboard the _Crest_. 

"Where are you going?" Amir asked.

"To my ship. We leave at first light," came the reply. 

"First light? As in tomorrow? You can't be serious."

"I am."

Amir huffed and folded his arms across his chest. 

"I'm not flying with you on the _Crest,_ Mando. She's in bad shape, and you know it."

"Then, you can walk."

Scowling, Amir felt the blood in his veins begin to boil. He uncrossed his arms and curled his hand into a tight fist. He let out a growl, closed his eyes, and with a shout, slammed his fist against the haul of the _Crest,_ startling the Child and causing them to jump back in fright. The Mandalorian whipped his head around and took a step in front of the Child. 

"Damnit, Mando! Will you quit being so stubborn and just listen to me?" Amir snapped. He thumped his fist against the haul again and shook his head. "Maris doesn't have time, alright? _I_ don't have time!" 

The silence that followed was tense and thick. So thick it couldn't even be cut by a vibro-knife. Amir stood there with his fist still resting on the haul, and the Mandalorian staring him down like he was his next mark. The two of them stood there in silence, both unaware that Peli had poked her head out from her office. Once the tension had cleared and it felt safe to speak, it was the Mandalorian who took matters into his own hands. 

"Do you have another suggestion?" the Mandalorian asked in a clipped tone. 

Amir exhaled through his nose and nodded. He drew his now throbbing hand from the panel and rubbed the inside of his palm. 

"We use my ship, the _Pyxis,_ " Amir said. He shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll admit she's a bit worn and rough around the edges, but she has a Class-1 hyperdrive, a back-up Class-9 hyperdrive, plenty of room for the kid to roam and explore, a decent refresher for you - "

"No."

Amir looked baffled. 

"What? Are you serious right now?" 

The Mandalorian said nothing. His beskar helmet did not stir, not even a twitch of his gloved fingers. He was dead serious, and Amir was starting to become very annoyed and irritated. Amir rolled his eyes and groaned, running his hands over his face. It was like dealing with a toddler—a murderous, stubborn, and vicious toddler who had an Amban sniper rifle with the safety off. 

_This is never going to work, Cordova,_ Amir thought to himself. 

"You are impossible," he muttered, shaking his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Amir cracked open an eye, narrowed and trained on the stone-faced Mandalorian across from him. Not that he could tell he was stone-faced, but the lack of movement was a clear giveaway. 

"Mando, please," Amir sighed. "I am offering you a ship, _my ship,_ that has outrun some of the largest criminal organizations, ex-Imperials, and even the best bounty hunters, and you still insist on taking the _Crest_?" He laughed and shook his head. "Last time I checked, she couldn't even make, what, two, three jumps without having some kind of glitch?"

"You have a problem with my ship?"

"Yes! Many problems!"

"Are you two done bickering?" Peli shouted from behind them. 

Both the Mandalorian and Amir turned to Peli, who now had the Child in her custody. How the kid managed to make it from the ship to Peli without being noticed was a shock to Amir. She had them propped against her hip, and the Child was watching them with big, curious eyes. 

"I don't want to admit this, but the kid's right, Mando," Peli said. She gestured to the _Crest_ with her free hand and adjusted the Child on her hip. "Your ship has the power, but she'll need a longer recovery period if you're jumping from system to system. Take the kid's ship, and I'll do some repair work on the ship while you're gone."

"Peli, I can't ask that of you," the Mandalorian said. 

"You're not asking, and I'm offering," Peli replied. She booped the Child on the nose and ran her thumb over their ear, earning a pleased _brrmp_ in response. "Just take care of the kid, alright? They're starting to grow on me." 

Peli handed the Mandalorian the Child and patted him on the arm. Amir watched as the woman retreated to her office and retrieved a satchel. His gaze flickered over to the Mandalorian, watching as he shouldered the bag and brought the Child closer to his chest. She then motioned for Amir to come to her, and with his hands stuffed into his pockets, he approached her.

"Go easy on him, alright? The guy's been through enough," Peli whispered, just loud enough from him to hear. 

Amir nodded and thanked Peli for her time. He handed her a small purse of credits, saying that it was to help with the repairs for the _Crest._ Peli weighed the bag in her hand and patted Amir on the cheek. 

"You're not so bad, kid," she said, smirking. "Take care of yourself."

"Will do, Peli."

With a final thump on Amir's shoulder, Peli said her goodbyes and returned to her office. He bit his lip as he turned to the Mandalorian, who had already started walking onto the _Crest._ He sat down on one of the many crates scattered around, pulling a knee to his chest and resting his chin on top. He sat there, waiting and watching for the Mandalorian and the Child to reappear once more. And before long, they finally did. The Mandalorian was packing plenty of ammunition for a small platoon, the satchel from earlier, and the Child was trailing behind, dragging what appeared to be a stuffed Mythosaur. 

Amir hopped off the crate and led the Mandalorian and the waddling Child to Bay three-nine where his beloved ship lay waiting. Luckily for him, the guard for three-nine was gone, and they had the room to themselves. As they walked through the door, there stood _The Pyxis._ An impressive YT-1300 light freighter with some custom modifications of Amir's design. Blue, white, and grey, with some splashes of black paint along the underbelly of the craft. She was a real beauty. She had a few dents, scattered scorch marks, and dings here and there, but the _Pyxis_ was one of the best ships in the galaxy. Well, aside from the _Millennium Falcon_. 

"She's not much, but she's fast and reliable. She'll get us where we need to go and everywhere in between," Amir said as they wandered further into Bay three-nine. He walked up to his ship and braced his arm against one of the landing struts. He flashed a grin and rapped his knuckles on the underside of the ship.

"Open up, AB!" 

There was a hiss, a screech, a loud click, and a thump before the boarding ramp began to lower and a soft trill that soon followed. Grinning, Amir turned to the lowering ramp, and at the top of the slope was his beloved blue and black BB-unit, AB-7. He started to walk up the ramp to greet her but froze when his ears heard the unmistakable hum of a blaster behind him. He whirled around to see the Mandalorian aiming his blaster and adopting a protective stance in front of the Child.

Eyes wide, Amir jumped to stand in front of AB-7, who began frantically beeping and rolling around the top of the ramp. 

"Woah, hey, Mando, lower the blaster! AB is a friend! Okay? She's a friend!" Amir said, holding up both hands to the Mandalorian. At his feet, AB-7 let out a beep and shrill whistle before rolling away and further into the ship. Amir whirled his head around with a narrowed glare. 

"I don't do droids, Cordova," the Mandalorian growled. His hand tightened on the blaster. The Child poked their head from behind the Mandalordian's leg, blinking curiously at Amir. 

"Yeah, yeah, I remember, but AB is _my_ droid, Mando, and I don't appreciate people aiming blasters at her, alright?" Amir said, stalking down the ramp. He gestured to the empty doorway. "Now you've hurt her feelings, and she'll probably shock me in my sleep later."

"So, where's your crew?" the Mandalorian asked, stowing away his blaster. 

Amir let out a frustrated sigh and dragged a hand over his face. He shook his head and gestured again to the empty doorway. 

"AB-7 _is_ my crew," he explained, glaring at the Mandalorian. He huffed and dropped his hands on his hips. "or at least she was till you scared her off like some raging, bloodthirsty, sarlacc." 

The Mandalorian sighed. "Just keep your droid away from me and the kid, understood?" 

Amir narrowed his eyes.

"Fine, I'll make sure she keeps her distance," he said. "Is there anything else you need to make this trip bearable?" 

He said nothing, but Amir could feel the intense glare under the helmet. The Mandalorian brushed past him, walking up the loading ramp and the Child following close behind. Of course, being as small as they were, it was a slow waddle up the ramp and onto the ship. 

Amir followed behind them and closed the loading door by pressing some buttons. With the door locked and secure, he turned down the main corridor and started making his way towards the cockpit. He had no idea where the Mandalorian ran off to, and frankly, he was more concerned about his droid than that bulking frame of a glorified trash can. Luckily for Amir, he did not have to look far for AB-7. She was hooked up to an interface port and making several mournful beeps. 

"Hey, don't be too upset, AB," Amir said, kneeling beside his droid. He placed a hand on AB-7's head. "Mando does this to everyone, trust me."

He patted the droid on the head and rose to his feet. _At least he didn't shoot you on the spot_ , Amir sighed. He ended up smirking, remembering one of the many times they had encountered a droid. Before Amir could even get a word out, a blaster went off, and a droid with a hole in its chest dropped to the ground. The Mandalorian passed him, stepping over the fallen droid and moving ahead while Amir stood there, staring blankly and wondering what the hell he got himself into. 

_You haven't changed much, Mando._ Amir smiled, shaking his head. 

He looked in the direction that the Mandalorian went, turned on his heel, and whistled. AB-7 beeped in response and appeared at his side. He jerked his head in the direction of the cockpit.

"Come on, AB, we got some work to do."

Amir started his way towards the cockpit with AB-7 trailing close behind. He snagged his datapad from the table in the main lounge and began his work, tapping on the screen while AB-7 rolled beside him. A quick turn and few steps down the hall, Amir passed through the cockpit's doorway and set his datapad in his chair. He flipped a couple of switches, pressed a few buttons, and smiled when the engines hummed to life. He then went to work, running last-minute diagnostics while checking and double-checking fuel supplies, both hyperdrives, and a laundry list of other things. Mind focused on his checklist; Amir hardly noticed the Mandalorian now standing in the doorway. It wasn't until the Mandalorian cleared his throat when Amir jumped and nearly dropped his datapad. 

"Shit - Mando! We need to put a bell on you or something," Amir muttered, clutching his chest. 

He glared at the Mandalorian, rolling his eyes, and ran a hand through his hair. He tugged on the ends, making a note that he was going to need a trim at some point. He looked up at the Mandalorian and placed his datapad on the dashboard. 

"The kid's asleep," the Mandalorian said, bracing himself against the doorway. 

"Oh, that's good," Amir's face softened and cleared his throat. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment. 

The two of them fell into an uncomfortable silence as AB-7 rolled at their feet, beeping and chirping. She spun around a few times, nudging Amir's shin and then moved out of the cockpit. Amir sadly watched his droid disappear, now leaving him with the Mandalorian who probably hated him more than any other ex-Imperial left in the galaxy. He switched the engines off and flopped back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"AB's finished the first round of tests, but she still wants to do some diagnostic work on the hyperdrives," Amir said. He stretched his arms above his head, his shirt riding up and revealing smooth, tanned skin. He dropped his arms down with a yawn. "Should take most of the evening. So, looks like we're stuck here till the morning,"

"I can take the first watch, Cordova," the Mandalorian said. 

Amir waved him off. 

"No, no, you get some sleep," he sighed. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous tick of his. "Take my quarters, okay? They're just out this corridor, a left, and then follow the curve. It'll be on your left. The door should be open."

The silence returned, and Amir found himself staring directly at the Mandalorian. He had often wondered what kind of person lay hidden under the helmet. What were their dreams? Their fears? What made them tick or motivated them? Or ever made their blood boil? What was – _Stop that._ He shook his head, disrupting the storm of thoughts. _Take it easy, Amir. You’re gonna give yourself an aneurysm at this rate._ Amir suppressed a shudder and cleared his throat again. 

"Thank you," the Mandalorian murmured.

Amir's lips quirked into a small smile. He nodded.

"Don't mention it."

With that said, the Mandalorian turned on his heel and walked down the corridor. Amir quickly shut the door with a flip of a switch and slumped in his chair. With the Mandalorian now gone, he felt like he could finally breathe. Amir scooted to the edge of his chair and reached under the dashboard, blindly searching for something. After what felt like forever, his fingers finally grazed the hidden switch underneath the panel. With a hiss, the hidden compartment opened, and Amir retrieved something cold and round from inside. He brought his hand out, and there in his palm was a bounty puck. 

The puck had nothing on it, of course; at least, not anymore. The bounty had been erased a long time ago. If Amir's memory served correctly, there wasn’t even an image attached to the puck, only a chain code. A chain code that Amir knew all too well. 

His fingers closed around it tight. With a heavy sigh, he pressed it to his face before tossing the puck back into its compartment. He leaned back in his chair as it closed, running a hand over his face as he stared up at the ceiling and let out a tired groan. 

"What the hell have you got yourself into, Amir?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again for reading! leave a comment or kudos if you want!


	3. and the investigation begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Din has the opportunity to do some thinking. He also gets to see how much Amir has changed in the last two years. And the investigation into Maris' disappearance begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i've been a bit absent lately. i've come down with a nasty sinus infection and have been home for the last few days. i wasn't able to spend a lot of time writing but i finally got back to it!
> 
> so, here it is - chapter three! hope you all enjoy and happy reading!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

-

What have you got yourself into, Djarin? _Din pondered as he lowered himself into the pilot's chair._

_The storm on Bracca was still raging and showed no signs of slowing, so in the meantime, Din could only wait. Minutes ticked by and no word from below. He could hear buzzing, humming, clicking of a tongue, and zapping of an electric screwdriver. A nice change of pace to the usual amount of silence on the Crest. He rolled his shoulder, hearing a distinct pop in his ear; he let out a groan. After dealing with a bar brawl and a bratty pilot, Din was sore and in need of a rest. He leaned further back into his chair and closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. A nap wouldn't hurt. Just twenty minutes, maybe thirty if he was lucky. And if the kid was as good as he said he was, then it wouldn't be long before -_

_"I fixed the fob," Amir shouted from below._

_Din sighed. Okay, so the kid was good._

_He shuffled himself out of his chair and climbed down the ladder to inspect Amir's work. He dropped down to find Amir now standing and admiring his opened weapons cabinet. It was no wonder everyone liked the display and somehow always figured out the code despite him changing it weekly. With a huff, he made a mental note to change the code and closed the cabinet._

_"I wasn't going to steal anything, if that's what you were thinking," Amir expressed, scowling at him. The ex-Rebel winked, which made Din bite back a growl from escaping his lips. "I know how protective you Mandalorians are of your weapons."_

_The pilot crossed his fingers over his heart like a child would. Din couldn't help but furrow his brows at Amir's actions._

_"I was only admiring them, I swear!"_

_Din forced himself not to roll his eyes._

_"The fob?" he reminded the ex-Rebel._

_"Ah, yes, of course," Amir said. He retrieved the fob from his pocket, and as he promised, it looked as if nothing had ever happened. "As promised, one practically good as new tracking fob."_

_Din grunted and was grateful for the helmet hiding the tiny fraction of a smile on his lips. He pressed a button on the fob, and a few moments later, a blinking red light appeared. The fob was running again, which meant he had a bounty to secure. Din closed his hand around the fob, and he stuffed it back into his pocket._

_"You've held up your end of our bargain, kid, so you're free to leave my ship without a blaster wound to your stomach," Din murmured, turning to his weapons cabinet._

_"I'm not a kid," Amir insisted._

_"Just get off my ship, or I'll throw you out myself."_

_Amir scoffed, like some spoiled, wealthy senator's son who didn't get what they wanted._ _Din opened the cabinet and silently began gathering the necessary ammunitions to catch Bix, still ignoring Amir's huffing and pouting. He could hear Amir shuffling behind him and slamming his toolbox shut. Din shifted his gaze and watched as Amir retreated down the ramp and off the ship into the pouring rain. However, just as it appeared that Amir was leaving, the pilot turned to him with a smirk gracing his lips._

_"I should let you know that Bix likes to frequent this one brothel known for their beautiful Twi'leks and Torgrutas. It's a few doors down from the cantina. Apparently, Bix has a thing for lekku," Amir said with a wink. He turned on his heel as if to leave but then paused, turning back with a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, and tell them Amir sent you. They won't give you any trouble." He gave Din a mock salute with two fingers and strutted off into the night._

_And right there, Din knew he this was not going to be last time he would ever cross paths with this elusive and cocky pilot._

-

Din quickly removed himself from the memory and turned his attention to more pressing matters, like sleep. However, despite trying to rest, Din found himself lying awake in Amir's quarters with one arm slung across his middle and the other supporting his head. 

Despite everything that had happened today, he was still wide awake. Din sat up and slipped off the bunk. He glanced over to the make-shift bed where the Child lay sleeping, curled under their blankets, and clutching their stuffed toy. He strode over to the Child, careful not to wake them and brushed his finger against their wrinkled forehead. The Child made a noise, scrunching up their nose, and settled themselves back to sleep. 

Just outside the door, there was a chirp, and Din immediately reached for his blaster. He stopped and noticed the droid - _AB-7_ \- frantically rolling away from the door with a squeal. His gaze shifted to the Child, who had begun to stir and whimper. Din quickly stowed away his blaster and began tracing his fingers over the Child's ears, shushing them. 

With his mind occupied on getting the Child back to sleep, Din failed to notice AB-7 appear at the door. She poked her head around the frame. She let out a series of inquisitive beeps and chirps as if she wanted to know what was going on. AB-7 made a cautious roll into the room, but the growl that Din let out frightened her, and she made a mad dash out of the room. Huffing, Din turned his attention to the Child, who had finally settled down and fallen back asleep. 

Wide awake and still on edge, Din lifted his helmet just enough to run a hand over the back of his neck and squeeze at his sore muscles. He lowered the helmet with a sigh and glanced down at the sleeping Child. His gaze shifted and went to the door. He wondered if Amir was still awake or had he fallen asleep in the cockpit - like the many times he had done before. 

Curious, Din left the room, closing the door behind him and began wandering around the _Pyxis._ The ship was relatively quiet, save for the gentle hum of the power core. He backtracked his steps from earlier and found himself steps away from the corridor leading up to the cockpit. He ventured forward, stopping just feet from the door. It was open, but to his surprise, Amir was gone. Din quietly backed away from the corridor and continued on his own tour of the ship. 

Before long, Din found himself wandering towards the opposite side of the ship, far from where he and the Child were staying. He walked down the hall and then paused his stride when he heard a male's voice just feet away, and it wasn't Amir's. His heart stuttered, and his hand went to his blaster. He listened carefully, careful not to make any sudden moves or sounds. He approached the door where he believed the voice was coming from and waited. 

_"So, where do you want to go when all this fighting is over?"_

Someone laughed, and Din recognized the laughter immediately; it was Amir's. It was joyful and lively. Amir sounded happy. There was a sigh, and Din could've sworn he could _hear_ the roll of Amir's eyes, something he had grown familiar with. 

_"Always the dreamer, Callum."_

Din perked up at the name mentioned. He had only heard that name a handful of times when he was with Amir. _Callum Malenko,_ he recalled. _Malenko was another Rebel pilot. A lieutenant in Blue Squadron. And Amir's_ \- Din shook his head, tearing himself from finishing his thought. 

He lowered his hand from the blaster. He really shouldn't be here; he shouldn't be listening in on this. This was private and personal. He had no business eavesdropping like this. Amir was allowed to have his secrets. Even if it was Amir's secrecy that ended their partnership so abruptly. 

Din took another tentative step back and heard Callum's voice come through again. 

_"Amir, my sun and stars, I'll take you anywhere you want to go. Ever been to Naboo? It's beautiful. We can go to the countryside and have a picnic. Or how about Chandrila? Calm seas and rolling hills? You'd love it. You name it, and I'll take us. So, where will it be?"_

Din could almost hear the smile on Amir's face. He could picture the look on Amir's face. His grey-green eyes softening, and the worry lines chased away. His lips quirking at the corners. A look of just pure happiness and love.

_"As long as I am with you, my love, I'll go anywhere with you."_

Din couldn't help but flinch at the words. He had heard them before and it made his stomach lurch. 

_Tanned fingers grazing the inside of his wrist, brushing back his shirt and revealing a strip of warm, tanned skin. Thumbing at his pulse point and curling around his wrist. A quick, firm squeeze. An affectionate gesture. Sweet and gentle._

_"As long as you'll have me, I'll go anywhere with you, Mando."_

Din shook his head, tearing himself from the memory. He didn't take the chance to listen further to the holovid. He quickly left as soon as he arrived, retreating back to Amir's quarters and returning to the bunk. He was not going to fall asleep any time soon. He could rest at any other time, but not with his mind still wide awake and stirring. Din lay in the bunk, eyes shifting from the ceiling to the Child, to the door. 

Before long, his eyes slipped shut, and he fell asleep. However, two hours later, Din woke to the sound of the Child stirring just feet from him, and he pushed himself up to check on them. Din carefully gathered the Child into his arms and brushed his thumb against their ear. 

"Jate vaar'tur, ad'ika," Din murmured. "Sleep well?" 

He nudged his helmet against the young one's cheek, earning a pleased coo and warble in response. The Child reached out with their fingers and grabbed onto Din's gloved ones. Din couldn't help but smile down at his young charge. So innocent and so young. If only the galaxy had been kinder to children...

A knock at the door startled Din from his thoughts.

"Mando?"

_Amir._

"Yeah?" Din said, clearing his throat. 

"Hey, I've got breakfast for you and the kid outside the door. And don't worry, AB didn't help me. I made it myself," Amir said through the door. 

"Thank you."

There was a hint of a smile in Amir's voice. 

"Of course. Just meet me in the lounge when you're finished. I want to show you something."

Amir's footsteps disappeared, and the room filled with coos and gurgles from the Child. Din turned his attention his hungry charge and walked to the door to retrieve breakfast. When he opened the door, Amir was right. A tray with two plates of food, one uncut and the other mashed and neatly chopped up, fitting for a teething child. Din carefully took the tray, balancing the Child on his hip and closed the door with his boot. 

As Din had come to learn, feeding time had been a struggle these past several months. There was no beating around the bush - the kid was a carnivore. Despite Din's push for vegetables, the Child refused to eat them, and half the time would end up on the floor. Luckily for Din, the Child was hungry and ate every bite of his breakfast, ending his meal with a satisfying burp and happy giggle. Din placed the Child back onto the ground, and the pair left the room, leaving his breakfast untouched. 

Din and the Child wandered down the hall and entered the lounge where Amir was sitting with AB-7 by his side, and a holoprojector lit up. It was an image of Amir, a much younger version of him, and a younger version of Maris. She couldn't be more than six, maybe seven at the oldest. Din cleared his throat, and Amir's head shot up. He quickly shut off the holoprojector and stuffed it into his jacket. 

"Morning," Amir greeted. 

Din returned the greeting with a single nod. He placed the Child onto the sofa and sat down beside his charge. The Child reached with tiny arms for the edge of the table, and Din then set them on his lap. 

"I hope you two slept well," Amir said. "I'm sorry my ship isn't exactly baby-proof, but I really wasn't expecting you to have one after two years."

_Neither did I, and yet here we are._

"You said you wanted to show me something?" Din reminded him. 

"Right, yes," Amir muttered. He leaned down and tapped AB-7 on the side. "Okay AB, time to shine, girl."

The droid let out a happy trill, and another larger holoprojector flickered to life. It was a map of Tatoonie. Din noticed several red dots all over the map, including one over Mon Esley. Din wasn't surprised by the dots; Amir had been searching for a long time. On his lap, the Child let out a curious coo, eyes widening. 

"I decided to do some digging into some old contacts I had when I was in the Rebellion, and an old friend recommended that we go to Mon Espa to search for Maris," Amir said, pointing to the circled dot on the holoprojector. 

"I thought you said your sister was last seen here, why Mon Espa?" Din asked. 

"Well, before the war, Mon Espa was pretty big into the slave trade and human trafficking," Amir explained. "However, now that the war's over, most of the slavers have gone underground to do their business, and the New Republic doesn't want to get involved because they have more important things to worry about. Like, you know, cleaning up the mess with the Empire."

"How do you know this?"

Amir sighed.

"People like to talk," the pilot said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Well, if you get them drunk enough, they'll talk. Alcohol has that effect on people."

_Yes, I'm very familiar with that notion,_ Din thought to himself. 

"Not to mention, I still have a few people that actually like me."

Din snorted. 

"I'm sure you've made a few friends, Mando," Amir commented. He started to divert the conversation. "With your personality and charm? You probably left a trail of broken hearts..."

"Cordova," Din warned. 

"Right, right, feelings, and emotions are a touchy subject for you. My mistake," Amir said, returning to the subject at hand. He got up from the sofa and jerked his thumb behind him. "I'll get the _Pyxis_ ready for her flight. I'll see you and the kid in the cockpit." 

Without another word, Amir disappeared down the hall with AB-7 trailing behind him. The Child in Din's arms let out a curious warble, squirming in his lap. Din gently quieted the Child, shushing him, and rose to his feet. He followed Amir to the cockpit, where he sat down in the co-pilot's chair. Amir was already engaging the engines, flipping switches, and turning knobs. 

Two years had changed Amir. He still acted like that snobby kid back on Bracca, but there was something else about him that Din had yet to figure out. 

Amir Cordova was a different man than he remembered. 

"Told tight, Mando," Amir grinned, throwing the throttle forward and taking them to the skies. 

The flight to Mon Espa was short and quiet. Din sat in the co-pilot's chair with the Child sitting on his lap, cooing and gaping at the vast array of buttons that were available to him. Their tiny hands reaching out and grasping at anything they could get their claws on. Of course, Din made it his personal mission to gently swat his charge's claws with every attempt they made. And beside him, he could feel Amir's eyes on him. 

Fleeting glances. Curious bites of the lip. Fingers tapping nervously on the throttle. Shifting in the pilot's chair. 

Amir steered the ship with grace, and before long, he could see the domes of Mon Espa and slivers of figures walking around. Amir eased the _Pyxis_ down onto a sandy plain, just less than a mile from the city. With landing gear engaged, the _Pyxis_ shuddered and landed with a jolt. Amir shut down the engines and pushed himself up from the pilot's chair, exiting the cockpit and strutting down the hall. 

"Now, have you decided what to do with your kid?" Amir asked, pausing at a storage room. He stepped inside and began digging through crates and boxes. 

"They'll come with us," Din said simply.

Amir's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped a blaster at his answer. Din watched as Amir began shaking his head and glaring at him. 

"No, no, absolutely not," he said. "We're dealing with dangerous people, Mando."

"We've been through worse."

Amir sighed and ran a hand over his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling through his nose. The frustration on Amir's face was easily recognizable, and Din couldn't help but enjoy watching Amir's anger bubble and boil. Din watched as Amir's shoulders tensed and clenched his hand into a tight fist. A moment later, and Amir was finally calm. He sighed and gestured to AB-7 by his shin. 

"What about AB?" he asked. "I'm sure she can watch the kid for a couple hours."

Din growled. While he was just starting to learn to trust Amir again, he still had no intention of trusting his droid. He firmly shook his head, refusing to budge. 

"Out of the question," he replied.

"You are impossible. Then what do you suggest we do, Mando?" Amir asked, clearly annoyed by his refusal. "You don't trust AB. And I don't want the kid to come with us because these guys eat things like your kid! These guys are dangerous - _very_ dangerous, okay? There's a reason they went underground once the Empire fell."

"The kid and I can handle ourselves," Din said smoothly. "I'm more concerned about you."

"You? Concerned for me?" Amir laughed. His lips quirked into a smirk, and his eyes flickered up and down. "Man, becoming a dad really has changed you. I have to say it's a good look for you." 

With a sigh, Amir threw both hands in the air, essentially giving into Din's demands. 

"Alright, fine, we'll take the kid with us. But that means I'll do the talking, you stand there and look mean - " 

Din folded his arms over his chest and frowned from under his helmet. 

" - there! Just like that! Of course, if you have the kid strapped to your chest, you'll be less intimidating and just scream 'dad taking their child to work.' But we can work on that later. We first need to find you a carrier, and I think I might have something buried - " 

There was the sound of Amir shuffling, digging, and tearing through boxes and crates. Din heard the Child coo and giggle as something loud crashed within the storage unit. Amir's voice shouted back, "I'm okay!" And he proceeded to continue with his search. It was not long before Amir returned from the depths of the storage unit with what appeared to be a carrier. It was made of dark grey cloth and looked reasonably comfortable for the Child. And it would be easier for him to carry the Child. 

"Sorry it's not the best quality, but I think in light of the circumstances, it'll do the job," Amir said.

Amir reached out to him, but Din quickly took a step back. And the look on Amir's face was nothing short of hurt and apologetic. Amir lowered the carrier, clearing his throat and biting his lip. 

"I'm sorry, I just - " Amir paused. 

"I know," Din finished. 

"Can I - "

"Yeah."

Din nodded and placed the Child on the ground. Amir took a tentative step towards him and then began helping strap on the carrier to Din's chest. His hand came around the back of his neck, his fingers grazing a thin strip of skin that was exposed. It was electric, and Din felt it shoot down his spine to his toes. His breath hitched. His gaze flickered to meet Amir's eyes, and everything had gone still. Although Amir could not see him, Din could not take his eyes off Amir's. 

For a moment, it was quiet. And it was as if they were the only two in the room. Amir kept his hands on the carrier's straps, gripping it tightly and eyes still on Din. But as quickly the moment arrived, it was over. By Amir's feet, AB-7 let out a chirp, forcing Din and Amir to tear their gaze from one another. Din forced himself not to move as Amir quickly finished tying the carrier around his middle and then stepped back to admire his work. 

"Alright, now, the moment of truth," Amir said. 

Amir quickly grabbed the Child who squealed with delight as he tickled them in the sides. Din felt something in his heart stutter. The Child made a grabbing motion, reaching out to him. Amir tapped the Child on the nose and then slipped them into the carrier. He adjusted the straps one more time, took a step back, and with arms folded across his chest, sighed. 

"Not bad for an ex-Rebel pilot," Amir said, puffing out his chest. 

"Don't get too cocky," Din murmured, shifting his weight to adjust to added pressure on his chest. 

"Well, now that the fun is over, let's go meet my friend, shall we?" Amir smirked. 

With the Child safely secured in their new carrier, enough ammunition to scare off a small group of mercenaries, and Amir's chauvinistic attitude, they were ready to leave the _Pyxis_ and begin their investigation. 

-

As a hunter, Din had only been to Mon Espa a handful of times over the years, and he never stayed long enough to see what the city was truly like. He was the kind of person to get in and get out before anyone could ask any questions. His armor was usually a dead giveaway, and many people avoided him like the plague. 

While the city had seen little of the war, there were still some skirmishes that left their fair share of scars. Most of which were of rival slavers competing for territory. However, with the war over, slavers ventured to the surface, and Mon Espa had become a hub for slaves and human trafficking. 

And it made him sick to his stomach. 

When he was growing up with the other Mandalorians, Din had heard stories of people being enslaved for a variety of reasons. Some of the older children would scare the smaller ones with stories of horrible monsters who roamed the streets, snatching children from their beds - never to be seen again. Of course, as Din grew older, he learned the truth about slavery and human trafficking. Some enslaved were to pay debts, and some became servants but received little to no pay. And others were imprisoned for more pleasurable purposes. 

"Mando? You still with me?" Amir asked, stirring him free of his thoughts. 

"You never did mention who we were meeting," Din said as they turned down a darkened alley and walked down some stairs. 

"Tijar Braal," Amir said. 

Din recognized the last name; Braal was a distant cousin of the famed Jabba the Hutt. He had the misfortune of having some dealings with some of the Hutts in the past. And he usually returned to the _Crest_ with more dents in his armor than when he first walked off the ship. After his death, it was no surprise when a cousin proceeded to take over some of the operations Jabba had on Tatoonie.

"A Hutt? Your old friend is a Hutt?"

"What?" There was a hint of smugness in Amir's voice. Amir's lips quirked into a coy smile. "You scared?"

Din grunted, and the Child let out a giggle as if sensing his distrust and anxiety. 

"You should have told me we were meeting with a Hutt," Din snapped. 

"Don't worry so much, Mando. It's not good for you," Amir said, waving Din off with a hand. 

Din wanted nothing more than to grab Amir's hand and snap it in half. 

"Tijar and I go way back; besides, I'm sure he's forgotten about what happened the last time we met..."

Din paused his stride, and the Child let out an inquisitive warble. His brows furrowed. 

"And what happened last time you met?"

Amir's smirk faded and turned into a sheepish smile, and his shoulders shrugged. 

"I may have _accidentally_ stabbed him - "

Din quirked a brow.

"In the eye - "

The Child let out another curious coo. 

"With a vibro-knife."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading!
> 
> please leave a comment or kudos if you can!


	4. a pilot, a mandalorian, and a child walk into a cantina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pilot, a Mandalorian, and a child walk into a cantina. Hmm, sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally - an update!
> 
> i'm so sorry i've been absent for a while. i've been under a lot of stress lately with the recent news regarding covid-19 and whatnot. i currently have a family member who is in the hospital with the virus and we are just waiting patiently for her to get better. she's a nurse and we love her dearly. 
> 
> i'm blessed to still have a job right now, but i'm also putting myself at risk everyday when i clock in. i'm doing what i can to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and everything else in between. 
> 
> thank you all for your love and understanding!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

-

_About a week had passed, and Amir had not heard anything from the mysterious Mandalorian._

_He waited and waited for something, anything. Every day, he checked his message log, and every day, it was empty. He frowned. Surely the Mandalorian would send a message. A note. A transmission. But all he received was radio silence._

_And to Amir, it meant that the Mandalorian who walked into his life (and saved his skin) was gone._

_However, what he did find out from the locals was that there was one less ex-Imperial on Bracca, and none were the wiser. Whatever ex-Imperials were still on Bracca kept their distance from Amir, muttering that the kid had a guard dog, a Mandalorian. Amir couldn't stop smiling the day he heard the news. The Mandalorian had taken his advice, got the ex-Imp, and disappeared as many of the bounty hunters do._

_And so, Amir went on with his usual business. He spent most of his days in the cantina, offering his services to other mechanics in the area and taking jobs wherever he could find them. And finally, after two weeks of the same routine and storms, Amir found himself working on his beloved X-wing and preparing for a nice flight throughout the galaxy._

_Sitting in the pilot's seat, Amir failed to hear heavy boots approaching him, sloshing in the mud and muck. Mind elsewhere, Amir continued his work his ship, checking and double-checking all her navigation systems and her hyperdrive. He couldn't wait to get off this rock and make some extra credits, of course, that meant he would have to get the kriffing -_

_"Amir!"_

_Amir halted his work, nearly dropping his screwdriver to the floor and knocking his head into the dashboard. He knew that modulated voice. He craned his neck, and from the cockpit of his ship, he could clearly see the Mandalorian standing there. Amir felt his heart skip a beat, and his fingers twitch at the sight of that beskar. He couldn't help but wonder who or what was hiding under all that scuffed armor..._

Mind out of the gutter, Cordova! _he scolded himself._ Play it cool. Don't act like you've missed him or something. Stay calm, alright? Just keep it casual. Now, get off the ship and greet him before you make it any more awkward. 

_Amir shut down the systems to his ship and climbed out of her, dropping feet first into the mud below. He strode up to the Mandalorian; arms folded neatly over his chest. The Mandalorian appeared the same. There are a few more dents and scorch marks on the beskar than he last remembered._

_Amir quirked a brow._

_"What brings you back to Bracca, Mando?" he asked calmly. "Surely, it can't be because of the planet's views?"_

_"Your intel proved to be useful," the Mandalorian replied._

_"It usually is," Amir smirked. His lips curled into a grin. "Now, tell me, you didn't come all this way back to this backwater hellhole just to tell me that?"_

_"I could use your help with a job."_

A job? _he wondered. He straightened his back and quirked a brow._ Don't act desperate, Cordova. Express interest but be subtle. 

_"Oh? And what's in it for me?"_

_"Credits. And target practice."_

_Amir laughed. He had been itching for some light target practice, and if the Mandalorian was offering, well, how could he say no to a face like that? He nodded, agreeing to the Mandalorian's terms._

_"You've got yourself a deal, Mando," he said. "So, what's the job?"_

_-_

Amir's heart thudded wildly in his chest. He had done his best to avoid Tatoonie as long as possible ever since he was last here. But when he caught word of Maris possibly being spotted there, he had to take the risk and get there as fast as possible. Of course, he wasn't going alone this time. He had the Mandalorian by his side, and it felt good. It was like the good old days when it was just the two of them. Working together on jobs, splitting the reward, and - 

The Child in the make-shift carrier let out a squeal as they passed a vendor with smoked meats, fruits, and other assorted items. 

_Right, Mando has a kid now,_ Amir reminded himself. _Can't get too lost this time._

While he had to admit that the Child was cute, okay, scratch that, they were adorable and would put every pet he'd ever owned to shame. His eyes flickered over to the Child and watched as their head tilted and moved, following everyone they passed. However, despite their adorableness and big brown eyes that made Amir's heart melt, they were on the job, and that job happened to involve Tijar Braal. 

Amir scowled. 

The Force is a cruel, unforgiving, nasty, cold-heart, relentless -

"Cordova?"

Amir's head snapped up, and he quickly turned to the Mandalorian and the Child. 

"Sorry, just a bit distracted," he said. 

"We can't afford to be distracted," the Mandalorian quipped. 

"I know, I know," Amir sighed. 

They continued wandering through the city's main bazaar, passing vendors of various species, ages, and genders. Some were selling food. Others were bartering for odds and ends. Before long, they came to the seedier part of the city and Amir could feel the blood in veins run cold. He pushed whatever doubt he had aside and pressed on.

Shrouded in the shadows of the bustling city and hidden away like some dark secret. Bounty hunters lingered on corners, quietly mumbling to themselves as Amir, the Mandalorian, and the Child ventured deeper into the underground world of Mos Esley. Eventually, they came across a cantina, one that Amir was quite familiar with: Tijar Braal's main compound lay hidden beyond the cantina's backdoor. 

Amir led the Mandalorian into the cantina and continued walking further till they passed through a curtain, and just down the hall, three armed guards were waiting. Taking in a deep breath, Amir took the lead and strode up to the guards.

"I'm here to see your boss, Tijar Braal," Amir said. 

"He expecting you?" one of the guards asked with a sneer. 

"Just tell him Amir Cordova is here," he replied with a pointed look. "Trust me, he'll want to see me."

A beat passed, and what appeared to be the lead guard motioned for one of the other guards to head inside the compound. The second guard quickly disappeared through the curtain, leaving the remaining guards to watch Amir and the Mandalorian. However, not a moment later and the second guard returned, scrambling through the curtain and whispering something in the first guard's ear.

"You're cleared to come in, Cordova, but your Mandalorian stays here," the first guard said.

Amir laughed and shook his head. 

"I don't think so," he muttered. "The Mandalorian comes with me. He's my escort. Now, step aside before my friend here puts a hole between your eyes. Clear?"

The trio of guards exchanged similar looks of distrust and disgust, but finally, they stepped away from the curtain and allowed for Amir, the Mandalorian, and the Child to pass through. Amir drew back the curtain, motioning for the Mandalorian to step inside first, and he followed him shortly after closing the curtain. 

"I'm starting to doubt your plan, Cordova," the Mandalorian said as they walked deeper into the compound. 

"Yeah, well, this isn't my best plan but I knew that once Tijar heard my name, he'd be itching to see me again," Amir replied.

"And feed you to the wolves."

"I do suppose that is important."

Amir, the Mandalorian, and the Child entered the main room of the compound, and their gaze immediately led to the Hutt in the center of the room. Tijar Braal was an ugly sight to see. Though Braal was smaller than most Hutts, he was still no less unpleasant than the rest of them. His skin was a mixture of orange and yellow, with some splotchy patches of brown, dozens of scars running along his back and his tail. And his right eye was missing: courtesy of one Amir Cordova. 

Braal was lounging on a heavily padded couch, surrounded by slaves, armed guards, and one protocol droid. Amir slowly approached the Hutt, bowing and greeting him with a simple hello. 

"Tijar, you look - "

"Aliet, Cordovah!" Braal snapped. 

Amir closed his mouth and bit the inside of his cheek. 

_Okay, so he remembers what happened last time,_ he thought, gritting his teeth. 

Amir took a few steps back, holding up his hands. 

"Tijar, I just want to talk, alright? Surely, you can at least let me do that," he said. "And after we're done talking, you can shoot me."

The look on Tijar's face was nothing short of disturbing. His lips curled into a smirk, and his brows furrowed. He wanted him dead, and Amir knew that. Tijar grumbled something under his breath and turned to the protocol droid. He whispered something to the droid and then nodded, gesturing for the droid to answer for him. 

"My master will allow you to speak, but he requests that you and the Mandalorian surrender your weapons," the droid announced. 

Amir flinched at the comment and felt the Mandalorian tense beside him. The Mandalorian let out a grunt, startling the Child in the carrier, and causing them to whine. Amir's fingers twitched. He reached out to touch the Mandalorian's wrist, to calm him. 

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but weapons are part of their religion," Amir stated. "So, that's not going to happen."

Tijar growled.

"Then, I am afraid that my master will not speak to you," the droid parroted. 

Amir rolled his eyes. _Unbelievable,_ he huffed. 

Tijar was not going to budge unless someone made a sign of goodwill. With a sigh, Amir retrieved his own blaster from his hip holster and tossed it in front of Tijar. He grabbed his vibro-knife, stowed away in his left boot, and threw it with the blaster. He patted himself down, checking for any other weapons, and then held his hands up. 

"Tijar, I don't want to start another fight with you," Amir snapped. "I just want to know about my sister."

Tijar huffed and began speaking to his droid again. When he finished, the droid straightened themselves upright and turned to Amir and the Mandalorian.

"My master states that he does not know anything about your sister, Mr. Cordova," the droid said. "In fact, he wasn't aware that you even had a sister."

Amir shook his head, scoffing. 

"That doesn't change anything. Look, she was last spotted on Tatoonie, Tijar, and I got the proof of her walking into your place and not coming out," he said. 

Amir snatched the holoprojector from his pocket and turned it on. Maris' image appeared, and the murmurs and whispers started. Several of the guards leaned next to their companions, whispering and pointing to the image. Their gazes flickered back to Tijar, who still had not reacted to the image. His face turned sour, and he growled again.

"Just give me what I want to know, and I'll be on my way," Amir said. "You can even shoot me on my way out. Fair?"

Tijar motioned for the droid to lean closer again and began whispering to him once more. Amir kept his eyes trained on Tijar and the droid, unaware of the Mandalorian's beskar brushing against his arm and his voice murmuring, "Braal knows something."

"I know," Amir whispered back. 

"My master wishes to know more of your Mandalorian companion," the droid spoke. 

Amir frowned. 

"Why?"

"A simple question," the droid replied. 

Several of Tijar's hunters and slavers began rising to their feet and reaching for their weapons. Amir looked around them and heard the Child whine beside him. His eyes flickered back to the Child and noticed that their ears had gone down, confirming his suspicions. 

Tijar continued to speak, and his droid translated. 

"There have been rumors that something very _unfortunate_ happened on Nevarro several months ago and that the cause of this massacre was because of an IG unit, an ex-Shock Trooper, a disgraced magistrate, and one Mandalorian," the droid continued. He paused a moment allowing Tijar to finish his sentence. 

"A Mandalorian with a small child, baring the same description as the one in this very room," the droid finished. 

Amir's heart skipped a beat, and his back straightened. He bit his lip. They'd been caught. Something hummed beside him, and Amir knew that the Mandalorian was now charging his rifle. 

"Time's up, Amir," the Mandalorian said. 

"Kidd hoohat," Tijar barked. 

Amir didn't need a translator to know what those meant. 

_Kill them._

A whistle rang out. Someone screamed and dropped to the floor with a hole between their eyes. 

And then, all hell broke loose. 

Amir dove down to retrieve his blaster. A shot rang out behind him, and Amir quickly spun on the ground to fire another shot at another slaver. They dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and the entire room erupted into chaos. Blasters rang out, people started to scream, and scramble for the exit while Tijar was being moved deeper into the compound. 

Amir scowled. He wasn't going to let Tijar get away this time. He got to his feet and fired another shot at a retreating slaver, and they too fell. 

"I thought you said this was going to be easy!" the Mandalorian shouted, dodging a punch from a slaver. He spun on his heel, drawing his blaster and landing a perfectly aimed shot to a slaver's stomach. The Child let out a squeal as the sudden movement jostled them. 

"Yes, well, I didn't think that it would be _you_ who would be the cause of this mess!" Amir grunted, throwing a punch into the jaw of another slaver.

Amir sent the Mandalorian a wicked grin, and he could've sworn that the Mandalorian was scowling back at him. 

He didn't want to admit it, but he actually missed this. The thrill that rushed through his veins, making his heart flutter. It was something that made his blood run hot, and he loved every minute of it. 

Another shot rang out, and he heard the Child giggling not far from him. 

Well, that was different.

Amir spun on his heel, firing his blaster at several slavers and each of his shots making their mark. He grunted as a muscled Twi'lek slaver came up behind him and grabbed him by the shoulders. He let out a yell as he was hoisted over the slaver's shoulder and dropped to the ground, landing hard on his back and knocking the breath out of him. 

"Cordova!"

His head shot up, and to his surprise, the Child was missing. The carrier was empty, and the Mandalorian was wrestling with another slaver on the ground. 

"Find the kid!" the Mandalorian shouted. 

Amir quickly scanned the room for the Child and, to his surprise, found him hiding in a corner, buried under some tattered rags that allowed him to blend in. He grinned when he locked eyes with the Child who cooed and warbled back at him. He heard someone running up behind him, and he narrowly missed the shot to his shoulder, but it grazed his arm, causing him to hiss from the pain. 

"They're safe, Mando!" Amir called back, scrambling to his feet. 

He didn't even take the chance to hear the Mandalorian's reply. He simply jumped back into the thick of the fight and began firing his blaster, throwing punches, and not even batting an eye. Before long, the chaos had ceased, and only Tijar Braal lay there with dozens of dead guards, slavers, and one terminated protocol droid. Amir watched as Tijar began crawling, obviously wounded, towards the back of the compound, and Amir knew that he was hiding something. 

"Oh no, you don't," Amir shot his blaster at Tijar's trail, causing him to screech like a loth-bat. 

"Watch him!" Amir called to the Mandalorian who had finally gotten to his feet and retrieved the Child. 

"Amir!"

But Amir was already rushing towards the back of the compound and down the stairs. He didn't bother to see if the Mandalorian was following him. He had to know the truth. He had to know if she was okay; if she was alive. But what if - Amir shook his head. No, no, he couldn't afford to think like that. 

He skipped the last two steps, raced to the end of the hall, and skidded to a stop at the door. 

His sister could be behind that door.

She could be alive and scared.

She could be -

_dead. she could be dead too._

Breathless and anxious, Amir wrenched the door open and found the room to be empty. 

Cold and empty. 

Amir felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. 

There was evidence of someone here: blankets, some clothes, and dirty plates with moldy bread and dried meat. But whoever was here, they were long gone now. Amir knelt and turned over one of the blankets. His eyes widened, and what came out of his mouth could only be described as a mixture between a ragged breath and a choked sob. 

_It couldn't be. No, she - she would never -_

Amir heard the Child's curious warble from behind him. The Mandalorian had followed him. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

"She was here. Maris was here," Amir whispered. 

"How do you know?"

Amir slowly rose to his feet and turned to him with what appeared to be a scarf in his hand. It was made of dark blue wool with silver fringe and constellations decorating the fabric. 

_She can't be dead. She just can't be dead._

"Amir?" 

"This is her scarf," he whispered. He could feel the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. Amir let out a shaky sigh and curled his fingers around the material, shaking his head. 

"She hardly ever took it off," Amir continued, his breathing ragged. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. "I gave this to her when our father died."

Amir shook his head, heart pounding in his chest. 

"She's running out of time, Mando. I have to find her. I - " 

A firm hand landed on his shoulder, and Amir instinctively grabbed it. His eyes shot up and locked onto the Mandalorian's helmet. He often wondered who was hiding under that helmet. Were they kind? Understanding? Loving? Of course, he knew better to ask such things. 

Amir adverted his gaze and returned his attention to the scarf in his hand.

"We'll find her," the Mandalorian spoke. 

_I hope you're right, Mando._

He gripped the scarf tightly in his hand and then slowly wrapped it around his neck. He ran his fingers over the fringe and then turned to the open door. 

Something deep down inside him wanted to scream and claw itself free of its prison. Someone was going to pay for this. Someone was going to be thrown into the sarlacc pits and be eaten alive, and he was going to be so happy to watch it happen.

"Amir?"

The pilot lifted his head and turned to the Mandalorian. The Child tilted his head towards him, big eyes and full of curiosity. Amir lifted a hand and thumbed the Child's wrinkled forehead. 

He was going to find Maris.

somehow. 

"Braal knows where she is or at least where she went," Amir said, lowering his hand and retrieving his blaster. He twirled the weapon with his fingers and switched the safety off. 

_I'm coming for you Braal._

Amir walked out of the room, not even bothering to close the door behind him. He could hear the heavy footfalls of the Mandalorian and the cooing Child behind him, but they sounded so far away. The trio passed dead slavers, unconscious guards, and frightened slaves, as they walked through the compound and entered the main room again. 

Tijar was now lying on the ground, covered head to tail in blood. Still alive, but barely. It wouldn't be long now before Tijar would perish. Amir strode up to Tijar, humming an old tune his mother taught him as a child. Tijar reached with his tiny arms for a fallen blaster, but the Mandalorian was swift and knocked it away with his boot. 

"Okay, Braal, I'm done waiting around," Amir growled. He twirled the blaster in his fingers and aimed it towards Tijar. "I need answers, and I need them now."

He knelt down and pressed the blaster to Tijar's flabby chin. 

"Where is she?"

"Jee'dd sha tak, Cordovah!"

Amir quirked a brow. 

"Oh, so you don't want to talk?" he laughed. He shook his head. "Or are you just afraid of talking to me, huh? Is there something else you're hiding from me?"

Tijar said nothing, only grunting as Amir pressed the barrel of the blaster harder into his chin. 

"I am going to ask you one more time - " the blaster began to hum back to life. " - where is my sister?"

There was a pause, and finally, _finally,_ Tijar spoke.

"Coreddiah."

_Corellia._

Amir smiled and got to his feet, removing his blaster from Tijar's chin. 

"Thank you for your time, Tijar. Sorry to cut things short, but I have more important matters to attend to."

The Hutt let out a curse, and before he had the chance to reach for Amir, a blaster rang out, and Tijar fell to the side - dead with a blaster hole between his eyes. A fitting end for such a horrible creature. 

Amir holstered his blaster and turned to the Mandalorian, his expression stone-cold.

"You still want to do this?" he asked. 

The Mandalorian said nothing, only walking past him and out the door.

The compound soon filled with silence, save for a few slavers who were groaning and moaning from their injuries. Tijar Braal was dead and it wouldn't be long before someone would discover what had happened.

Amir glanced over to Tijar's corpse and sighed. 

_Corellia,_ he huffed. _Of all the stuck-up, snobbish planets in the galaxy, why the hell did it have to be Corellia?_ He scrubbed a hand over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

Stars, he fucking _hated_ family reunions. 

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! please feel free to leave a comment or a kudos if you can!


	5. why is it always jakku?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A job on Jakku goes array. 
> 
> Amir reminisces. 
> 
> The Child continues to win his heart.
> 
> And the Mandalorian is just tired of Amir's antics and bullshit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey friends!! hope you all are staying stay and healthy during this time! i haven't had much of a chance to work on this fic for a hot minute due to the fact that i'm considered essential and have to work. 
> 
> but i hope that you all enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> thanks again!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

_Over the next several months, Amir saw more of the Mandalorian then he cared to admit. Despite jumping from planet to planet in his beloved X-wing, the Mandalorian always found him. Whether it be working on his X-wing, drinking in a bar with old friends, or napping under whatever shade he could find._

_The Mandalorian somehow always found him._

_And when he did come, it was always with a new job that paid well and Amir got to shoot something._

_And usually, the jobs were easy enough. A few bail jumpers. Some wanted smugglers with debts to pay. Even a handful of thieves and murderers. Now, those were more tricky but in the end, they always got their target. And this next job was just the same as the rest of them._

_The drill was simple: follow the tracking fob, search for the bounty, grab said bounty, get paid, and be on his way in his X-wing. At the same time, the Mandalorian delivered the bounty to his bosses and went right back to hunting once more._

_However, that's not what happened this time._

_This time things got complicated, and so did the nature of their partnership._

_The job was on Jakku. The planet was hot, dry, and there was sand everywhere. And the sand was now starting to get into places that Amir deemed uncomfortable and downright irritating._

_The bounty? A Twi'lek bail jumper called Chesa, who had once again jumped bail and was now on the run. According to their intel, Chesa's last known location was on Jakku, working as a scavenger and stripping old ships for parts under a new name. Of course, the information was at least a week old, and if Chesa had been tipped off at any time -- well, they could be long gone, and it would be back to the drawing board._

_"I hate this planet," Amir said as they continued wandering the small village. He adjusted the scarf around his head and huffed. "It's too hot and I'm not meant for this heat. I'm boiling here!"_

_The beep of the tracking fob was steady, so their target was close. Amir huffed again, folding his arms over his chest. As per usual, the Mandalorian paid no heed to his complaints._

_Sweat gathered at his temple, and the scarf wrapped around his head provided little comfort from the scorching heat. He glanced over to the Mandalorian and couldn't help but scowl. How Mando could walk around this planet fully clothed and in full beskar was beyond his comprehension._

He has to be cold-blooded or something, _Amir wondered as they continued walking._ No should be able to walk in this heat and not be sweating bullets. 

_"You could've stayed on the ship," the Mandalorian said, his tone edging on the brink of sass and sarcasm._

_Amir looked offended by even the suggestion. He scowled at the Mandalorian and rolled his eyes._

_"And miss out on all the fun? Please, it's like you want this one for yourself." he laughed._

_Amir sighed and pushed the scarf back; he checked over his shoulder and quirked a brow. Something dodged behind a curtain. He could see the shape of something or someone avoiding behind vendors and patrons, careful not to be spotted so quickly -- but Amir had good eyes. He squinted his eyes, searching for the hooded figure -- and then something darted to the left._

_He was right. Someone was following them._

_Biting his lip, Amir pressed closer to the Mandalorian, his fingers just inches from Mando's. His fingers grazed the fabric hiding the Mandalorian's bare wrist._

_"I think someone's following us," Amir whispered._

_"Are you sure?" the Mandalorian lowered his voice, just loud enough for Amir to here._

_Amir pouted and gave the other man a pointed look. "Now, Mando, would I lie to you?"_

_There was a hesitant pause, followed by a sigh. Amir smirked and held back a laugh._

_"Follow my lead," came the mumbled reply._

_Amir opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, but a gloved hand grabbed his wrist and dragged him further into the marketplace, pulling him behind some torn curtains and pressing him against a wall. Their chests were pressed against each other, the beskar just barely grazing the bare skin of Amir's stomach. The hand on his wrist then moved up to be placed on the wall, just centimeters from his face. The Mandalorian's free hand went to Amir's hip, gripping it tightly._

Don't move. Don't move. Don't move. Don't even _kriffing_ breath, _Amir said to himself._

_His breath hitched as Mandalorian leaned closer to him, the cool beskar oh so close to touching his forehead. Just a tilt of the head to the right and Amir could press his lips against the beskar and -_

**NO.**

_Amir shut his eyes. This wasn't right. He shouldn't be thinking like this. He needed to focus. They had a job to do._

_Cracking open one eye, Amir watched the hooded figure walk past them and disappear. When the person was out of sight, the Mandalorian lowered his hand, dropping it at his side. Amir continued to stare at the helmeted Mandalorian and could feel eyes staring back at him. They stayed like this for some time, watching and waiting for the coast to be clear. When the Mandalorian deemed it safe, he took a step back but kept his hand on Amir's hip._

_"You okay?"_

_Amir let out a sigh of relief, his head drooping and landing on the Mandalorian's shoulder. The gloved hand on his hip was warm and comforting. Amir smiled; he liked the way Mando held him._

_"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Amir said, grinning. He laughed, patting Mando on the shoulder. "Next time, let me know when you plan on doing that so I can play the part."_

_He propped his chin up to look over the Mandalorian's shoulder, and his eyes widened. His heart caught in his throat. The hand on his hip tightened again, sensing his body tense up._

_The hooded figure had returned, and there was a blaster in their hands._

_There was a click, and on instinct, Amir shoved the Mandalorian off him with a shout just as the blaster went off._

_Amir felt something struck him in the chest, knocking him backward and into the wall. His knees buckled, but he didn't fall. He didn't feel the shot at first, but the second he lifted his head to look up at the Mandalorian - pain flared through his chest, causing him to hiss in pain. His hand shakily went up to his aching chest, pressed down, and when he pulled it away, blood coated his fingers. His shirt started to turn red and the blood on his fingers dripped down, plopping onto the sand._

_He had been shot._

_"Mando?" he croaked._

_Amir flinched. His voice didn't sound like his own voice, and it made his stomach lurch. He sucked in a deep breath and coughed. Oh kriff, everything was on fire._

_The Mandalorian took off after the shooter, and within minutes, another blaster went off, and Amir didn't even react. He heard something hit the floor, and then there was the sound of boots coming towards him. Fast. Amir stumbled forward and a pair of muscled arms wrapped around his back, holding him up._

_"Hey kid, stay awake for me, alright? Kid?"_

_"Amir?"_

_Gloved hands shook his shoulder, and something tapped him on the cheek. Amir's eyes drooped. He could hear the Mandalorian calling his name, shaking his shoulders, urging him to stay awake. But he was so tired. Amir felt his body be lifted off the ground, and something cool pressed against his cheek. He lifted his head up, and the last thing he laid eyes on was Mandalorian's beskar helmet._

_His eyes slipped shut, and he knew no more._

* * *

After leaving Braal's compound, Amir was the last one to arrive on the _Pyxis._ He trudged aboard, dragging his feet and brushing past AB who beeped excitedly at him. He patted her on the head, assuring her that he was fine and noticed that the door to his room was closed. He stood there a moment, listening. He could hear the Mandalorian shuffling around the room and the Child was giggling and cooing like they always did. 

Amir asked himself if he should dare knock. He lifted a hand but froze. 

Shaking his head, Amir backed away from the door and trudged to the refresher to clean up the blood and dirt. He stripped himself bare and switched on the refresher, waiting for the steam to build. Amir stepped inside and stood there, watching the blood and dirt swirl and mix with the water. He checked the blaster wound on his arm and was happy to see that it was only a scratch. It would heal in a few days and he would be good as new. He closed his eyes, allowing the hot water to soothe his muscles. Soon enough, the water turned cold and forced him out of the refresher. Amir toweled himself off and stood in front of his mirror. He glanced down to the scar, resting just inches above his heart. 

Any closer and he'd be dead, just like Chesa. 

Even though Mando wasn't a medic, he still managed to clean up the wound and patch it up before they could get him proper treatment. His memory is a tad fuzzy on what happened after he was shot. But what he does remember was that when he woke up, the Mandalorian was gone, and he was lying in a cot with a doctor standing over him. When he asked about Mando, the doctor simply said that he had dropped him off and then disappeared once more. Amir took that as a sign that the Mandalorian was done with him. 

Amir spent a few days in the doctor's care recovering, still wondering about the Mandalorian and whether or not he would come back. And when he was finally discharged (and thoroughly scolded by his step-mother via holovid about how dangerous his lifestyle was), he found the Mandalorian standing outside. Amir couldn't believe it. That beskar bastard came back after all. He _actually_ came back this time, and it wasn't for another job. It was for him. 

Amir smirked. Oh, those were the good days. And after that day, things changed between them -- in more ways than one. 

With a huff, Amir grabbed his shirt, slipped it on, and pulled on his pants before trekking back to the cockpit where AB was waiting for him. He patted AB on the head as she circled his feet and plugged into a port to start prepping them for their next stop: Corellia. 

His father's home planet and hopefully where Maris was. 

Amir sighed and glanced down at AB. 

"How angry do you think she'll be if she sees me?" he asked aloud. 

**Very, friend-Amir,** came the reply. 

"Yeah, that's what I figured. Alright, AB, let's get off this planet."

Amir flipped on a few switches, pressed a couple more buttons, and smiled as the engines roared to life. Well, no time like the present. The _Pyxis_ lurched forward, hyperdrive humming in Amir's ear. He steered them off Tatoonie, and flew them further away from the planet and into orbit. Just as they broke the atmosphere, Amir finished punching in the coordinates, curled a hand over the throttle, and punched the hyperdrive, launching the _Pyxis_ into hyperspace. He took his hand off the throttle and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Amir glanced over to the side and took hold of Maris' scarf. He ran his fingers over the scarf. He hadn't seen this scarf in about a year, just shortly after Maris' eleventh birthday. It was well-worn, but it was well taken care of. After their father died, he had it specially made for her to wear for the funeral. Of course, he was still a teenager when his father died, and a child when his mother died. Now, he was an orphan. 

But Maris still had her mother. She still had someone who loved and cared for her and desperately wanted her home. 

He, on the other hand, had no one. The only people who really did love him were all dead. 

_Well, not everyone,_ a voice said.

Amir shook his head. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He reached into his shirt and pulled out the chain around his neck. He thumbed the ring at the end of the necklace. Amir's fingers traced the inside of the ring, grazing over the inscription - _my sun and stars._ Amir shook his head with a chuckle. Callum was always the more romantic one. Always charming him with cheesy lines, gifts, and kisses.

Stars, he missed him.

Just as his mind began to drift off - something tugged hard on his pant leg. 

He sat up and glanced down, thinking it was his beloved droid, but to his surprise, it was the Child. Big brown eyes and a wrinkled forehead stared up at him, and it made Amir's heart clench. The Child reminded him so much of Maris when she was younger. Wide-eyed and curious about their surroundings, toddling around as if nothing could ever hurt them. 

_Some kid,_ Amir thought.

Amir sucked in a deep breath and smiled. He placed the scarf on the dashboard, bent down to take the Child into his arms, and set them on his lap. 

"You manage to sneak away from your brooding dad?" Amir asked. 

**Child good at hiding, friend-Amir,** AB chirped. 

"Yeah, I kinda got that impression, AB," Amir replied.

The Child let out a coo and then nodded, their ears flicking back and forth. Their claws reached out and took hold of Amir's necklace, tugging on the chain. Amir shook his head, tsking the Child, and removing their claws from his necklace. 

"Hey, hey, claws off. That's not a toy, kid," Amir said, tucking the necklace back under his shirt. 

The Child let out a whine, mourning the loss of their newfound "toy". Amir quickly grabbed Maris' scarf from the dashboard and then handed it to the Child. They happily accepted the gift and then began gnawing on the fringe. 

Amir breathed a sigh of relief. Good, no crying. He quirked a brow, thinking back to the compound and how the kid managed not to get themselves hurt, killed, or even captured. He shook his head in disbelief. This kid was something else, that's for sure. 

"I don't know how you did that back there, but you're pretty lucky to still be sitting here," he chuckled. 

There was another coo, followed by a warble. Amir ran a thumb over the Child's ear, earning a happy giggle in response. His lips quirked into a smile. 

_How did Mando manage to find you?_ he wondered. 

"Amir?"

Amir's head shot up, and there in the doorway was the Mandalorian. He gestured to the Child sitting in his lap. 

"The kid wanted some attention, so here we are," Amir said.

"Thank you for watching him," the Mandalorian said. He shooed AB with his boot and sat down in the co-pilot's chair. 

AB beeped angrily at him and returned to her work. Amir leaned over to pat AB on the head, reassuring her and looked up at the Mandalorian. He placed the Child back onto the Mandalorian's lap and folded his arms over his chest. 

"You seem hesitant to go to Corellia," the Mandalorian spoke. 

"Yeah, well, Corellia was my father's home planet," Amir sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I haven't seen them since he died. And far as I know, I still have relatives there, and they don't really like me all that much."

"Imperial sympathizers?" the Mandalorian said.

Amir nodded, swinging around in his chair and looking out the window. 

"More like fanatics of the Empire," he answered. "And when the Empire fell, they went into hiding." Amir snorted and fiddled with the necklace around his neck. "Not to mention that they didn't like the fact that I married a man, but that's beside the point."

Silence filled the cockpit. The few noises inside were the engines, the Child gnawing on the scarf and gurgling, and AB's curious beeps and whirls. Amir maintained his focus on the _Pyxis,_ checking and re-checking her systems until the silence was broken by a single question. 

"Can we trust Braal's word about your sister?"

Amir paused and pondered the question being asked of him. Did he trust Braal's word? He never did before. But that wasn't the question. _Could_ he trust Braal's word? Not in the slightest. What if Maris was long gone? Sold to the highest bidder and lost forever? What if - Amir stopped himself from falling deeper into the rabbit hole. He shrugged, unsure of how to answer the question. 

"I was holding a blaster to his head, so there's no telling if what Braal said was true. Only he knows that, and he took that information to the grave," Amir said bluntly. _Quite literally,_ he reminded himself.

"But it's the only lead I have, so, I have to try. I've already lost so much because of the war and my own selfishness; I can't lose her too."

Amir leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. His mind wandered to their encounter at the compound. His gaze shifted, and his eyes landed on the Child, who now lay fast asleep in the Mandalorian's lap and clutching Maris' scarf. The Mandalorian went to pry the scarf from the Child's claws, but Amir stopped him, grabbing his wrist, giving him a look of, _it's okay. let the kid have it._

Nodding, the Mandalorian took the Child into his arms and left the cockpit. Amir watched them go and turn down the hall leading to his room. 

Amir frowned. He was hiding something. 

_"There have been rumors that something very unfortunate happened on Nevarro several months ago and that the cause of this massacre was because of an IG unit, an ex-Shock Trooper, a disgraced magistrate, and one Mandalorian... A Mandalorian with a small child, baring the same description as the one in this very room..."_

Not a few moments later, the Mandalorian returned and sat in the co-pilot's chair. They sat in silence once again. AB let out a trill, announcing that she was going to check on the hyperdrive, and rolled down the hall. Amir frowned. He was certain that she could sense the tension building between them, and she wanted nothing to do with it. Amir tapped his fingers on the throttle and glanced over to the Mandalorian. 

"So, what happened on Nevarro?" Amir asked.

"It's nothing," came the reply. 

_Doesn't seem like nothing._ Amir scoffed. He turned in his chair, facing the Mandalorian. 

"You still don't trust me, do you?"

The Mandalorian's tone turned harsh and cold. 

"After Rinn, no, I don't." 

Amir flinched at the mention of Rinn. Memories of that icy planet had been buried deep into his mind. Amir's expression hardened and he growled. 

So, he was still sore about that.

The Mandalorian stood up and walked out of the cockpit. 

Amir narrowed his eyes. He wasn't going to let the Mandalorian walk away so quickly this time. He made that mistake once, and he wasn't going to make it a second time. With a huff, Amir got to his feet, switched on the autopilot, and chased after the Mandalorian. 

"I'm not done talking to you, Mando!" he snapped. 

His protest was met with silence. 

Amir scowled; how typical. 

Anger still boiling, he caught up with Mando just outside the lounge area and went to grab him by the shoulder, but the Mandalorian was faster. A hand grabbed his wrist and shoved him hard against the wall. Amir felt the breath being knocked out of him as his head hit the wall. He let out a grunt and reached for something to grab, but the Mandalorian had already beat him to it. A gloved hand snatched both his wrists, pinning them above his head, and a knee wedged themselves between his legs. Amir struggled to break free of the Mandalorian's grip, but he was no match for him. 

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you where you stand?" the Mandalorian growled. 

Amir looked up and met the Mandalorian's helmeted gaze; the heat of it was indescribable. Amir held his breath and waited. 

_Because you need me._

_Because we need each other._

_Because at one time, you did trust me._

_A long time ago, you did care about me, and I felt the same way._

_Because I needed you then and I need you now._

_I still need you._

Amir finally had his answer; he held his gaze and sighed. He closed his eyes and nodded, accepting defeat. The Mandalorian had won this round.

"Because I need you, Mando," Amir said. 

_I've always needed you._

"I can't do this alone."

His eyes narrowed again. "That answer your question?"

The Mandalorian stood there in silence and seconds ticked by. Silence filled the lounge, and eventually, the Mandalorian released Amir from the wall and took several steps back. Amir took it as a sign that his answer was enough, but he was not out of the clear yet. He rubbed his wrists, no bruising from what he could tell, but it didn't hurt any less. 

"When this is over, you and I are finished, understood?"

Amir nodded. 

The Mandalorian quietly turned on his heel and paused at the doorway. Amir watched as his hand curled into a fist and then the Mandalorian slowly turned again to face him.

"Don't make me regret Rinn, Cordova," and with that said, the Mandalorian disappeared down the hallway once more. 

Amir's body tensed at the mention of Rinn and flashes of snowfall, blood, and bodies strewn around him flooded his mind. He could hear the faint shouting of Mando's voice in his ear and the tone -- so cold. So hurtful. And so angry. He remembered the smell of blood and the taste of it in his mouth. He was cold and tired. Pain erupted on his side -- bruised, or maybe cracked ribs. He watched as Mando walked away taking something with him as proof that the job was done. The memories started to file in, one by one, and Amir's anxiety started to rise. Before they could overcome him, he frantically shook his head and bit his lip.

He recalled a time where he believed the saying, "time heals all wounds".

Amir paused and sighed.

_Well,_ _maybe not all wounds._

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading!
> 
> best wishes everyone!
> 
> \- natalie


	6. welcome to corellia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Din remembers Jakku a bit differently. 
> 
> Amir feels guilty.
> 
> And we finally come to Corellia... the second-to-last place Amir ever thought he would be. 
> 
> Family reunions, am I right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! back at it again with another chapter! woot!
> 
> takes place directly after chapter 5 but now with din's perspective and his own thoughts about what happened on jakku that day. 
> 
> hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

_Din Djarin had indeed met his match._

_Someone who challenged him._

_Someone who pushed his buttons._

_Someone who could somehow be more irritating than any bounty droid could._

_Someone who he had come to not just trust but respect as well._

_And yet, at the same time, he couldn't imagine his life without them in it._

_And that someone was Amir._

_Over time, Din had started to learn more and more about this ex-pilot._

_Din learned that Amir was born on Coruscant. He learned to fly from his mother. His father taught him everything there was to know about politics, diplomacy, and the arts of persuasion and negotiation. His mother died when he was only 12, and his father remarried. He had a younger sister who he showered with gifts and love. After his father was killed on Alderaan, he enlisted with the Rebel Alliance and became a top fighter pilot._

_He fell in love. He married and became a widow within two years._

_And when the fighting was finally over and the Empire gone, Amir left the Alliance and went to explore the galaxy._

_After working several jobs together, Din found himself asking for Amir's skills in more jobs than he cared to admit. The most recent being a Twi'lek named Chesa. A frequent bail jumper who had once again jumped bail and was on the run. According to Karga, Chesa was last seen on Jakku, working as a scavenger. Karga admitted that the information for about a week old and that Chesa didn't like to stay in one place for a long time. So, Din had to act fast if he was going to catch Chesa -- which also brought him back to Amir._

_Grinning like the smug bastard he was, Amir accepted the job, and they crammed themselves into the_ Crest _before taking off to Jakku._

_When they landed on Jakku, it was midday, and the sun was at its peak. Din gathered extra ammo while Amir worked on wrapping a scarf around his head to shield him from the heat. Din was the first to step off the_ Crest _and began walking towards the tiny and yet busy marketplace. Amir followed close behind, often adjusting his scarf and complaining every five minutes._

_"I hate this planet," Amir whined. "It's too hot, and I'm not meant for this kind of heat. I'm boiling here!"_

_Din was grateful that the beskar hid the smile on his lips. He retrieved the new tracking fob, and the steady beep was music to his ears. Their target was close._

_"You could've stayed on the ship," he said with a smirk._

_Amir looked offended by even the suggestion. The ex-pilot scowled at him and rolled his eyes._

_"And miss out on all the fun? Please, it's like you want this one for yourself," he laughed._

_Din ignored the ex-pilot and continued walking, increasing his pace. He didn't realize what was going on behind him until Amir came up beside him, and he felt Amir's fingers graze his wrist._

_"I think someone's following us," Amir whispered._

_Din quirked a brow. He lowered his own voice, asking, "Are you sure?"_

_"Now, Mando, would I lie to you?"_

_Din sighed and rolled his eyes. Many times Amir had asked him that question, and the answer was always the same:_ yes. yes, you would _. But Din didn't dare say a word._

_Amir smirked at him and shook his head._

_Din knew they had to act quickly or their pursuer who become spooked and act rashly. They were in a marketplace with plenty of witnesses, so there was little room for error. He had to think of something quick. Din glanced at their surroundings and - there!_

_"Follow my lead," he said gruffly._

_Din grabbed Amir by the wrist and began to drag him further into the marketplace. Amir protested this with a yelp and scowling at him. He pushed back torn curtains before turning Amir to face him and pressing him against a wall. Din stepped closer to Amir, pressing their chests together. He let go of Amir's wrist and moved his hand up and placed it beside Amir's face. His free hand immediately went down to Amir's hip and gripped it tightly._

_Din could've sworn he heard Amir's heart beating in his chest. So loud and sporadic. He leaned closer to him, his helmet just centimeters from touching Amir's forehead._

_Their pursuer walked past them, unaware of where they were hiding. Footsteps tapered off, and the only thing Din could hear was the sound of Amir's breathing. Shallow and steady. He lowered his hand, dropping it at his side. Din lifted his head and met Amir's eyes. They stared at one another for a while before finally he stepped back but kept his hand on Amir's hip._

_"You okay?" he asked, his voice hoarse._

_Amir let out a sigh of relief, his head drooping and landing on the Mandalorian's shoulder. Din tensed at the motion and held onto Amir's hip, a warm and comforting gesture. He knew he should've said something earlier, but he had to make it look good. He felt Amir smile into his shoulder._

_"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Amir said, grinning. He laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Next time, let me know when you plan on doing that so I can play the part."_

_Din smiled and felt Amir prop his chin up to look over his shoulder. He felt Amir's body tense under his fingers, and he instinctively tightened his grip on Amir's hip._

_Something was wrong._

_There was a click. Din reached for his blaster, but Amir was faster this time. He shoved him away just as the blaster went off. Din stumbled back and watched as the shot struck Amir in the chest, knocking him into the wall. His heart caught in his throat as Amir's knees buckled, but he didn't fall. He saw the blood blossoming under his shirt, staining it a bright red. Amir's fingers went up to his chest, and when he pulled away, there was blood._

_"Mando?" he croaked._

_He sounded like a frightened child, eyes wide and full of fear and panic. Din whirled his head around to look for the shooter. The shooter quickly spun around and ran off. Growling, Din chased after the shooter and tackled them to the ground with a grunt. He landed a punch to the shooter's jaw, knocking their hood back and revealing a very familiar Twi'lek._

_Chesa. The shooter had been their target._

_Din and Chesa wrestled for the discarded blaster, but Din was much faster than this Twi'lek. He reached for his own blaster, shot once, and the Twi'lek fell dead with a hole in his heart. Din slowly got to his feet and looked down at their now dead target. He scowled, not exactly what he was hoping for. He looked back in the direction of where he last left Amir - He froze. Amir. He stowed away his blaster and raced back to Amir, where he found him leaning over and coughing._

_Blood dripped onto the hot sand._

_Amir's blood._

_Din looped an arm around Amir's middle, holding him up. He reached up with his free arm and tapped Amir on the cheek._

_"Hey kid, stay awake for me, alright? Kid?"_

_No response. Amir's head rolled to the side. Din growled and tried again, this time shaking Amir's shoulder._

_"Amir?"_

_Again, no response._

_Din felt his heart drop to his stomach. He bent his knees and lifted Amir into his arms, carrying him bridal style. He looked down at Amir, who had fallen unconscious at this point. He held Amir close and made his way out of the marketplace, fully aware of the dozens of eyes staring at him as he walked back to the_ Crest. _He glanced down at Amir, who looked almost peaceful. Like he was sleeping._

Hang on Amir, _he sighed._ Just hang on for me.

* * *

_"Don't make my regret Rinn, Cordova."_

Din sat on the bed, eyes open and staring across the room at the pile of bags and trunks. He slipped off his helmet and laid it beside him on the bed. The Child was fast asleep, probably exhausted from all the excitement of today. He ran his hands over his tired face, scratching at the back of his neck and then dropping both hands on his knees. He glanced over to his charge and watched them toss and turn in their sleep. 

Careful not to wake them, Din quickly adjusted their blankets and ran a bare hand over their crinkled forehead. The Child let out a sigh and slept swept over them once more. 

Din leaned back, laying his head against the wall and stared at the ceiling. He got up from the bed and walked over to where he had most of their things and began rifling through the bags. Eventually, he lifted a shirt and found what he was looking for: a lapel pin. 

More specifically, Amir's Rebel Alliance lapel pin.

The very same lapel pin Amir gave him after Jakku and thanked him for saving his life. Before Din could ask him how he was feeling, Amir threw his arms around his neck and buried his face into the crook of his shoulder, careful not to budge the helmet. Din stood there frozen, unsure of what to do next. He usually saw public displays of affection to be between two people who were close -- _very_ close. But with Amir -- he slowly wrapped his arms around Amir's middle and held him. 

They were both alive, and that was what mattered most.

And that's when everything changed.

Din forced himself to break free of the memory and glared the bright red pin sitting at the bottom of the bag.

It appeared to be mocking him. 

The pin was toying with him. 

Enticing him. 

Taunting him.

Din huffed and retrieved the pin before closing the bag. He ran his fingers over the pin, tracing every line and edge carefully. It had been a long time since he had seen this pin, let alone held it in his hands. He shoved it into his pocket and went back to grab his helmet when a knock sounded at the door.

"Mando?"

_Amir._ Din walked up to the door with his helmet and gloves in hand, but he still did not put them on. He stood there, watching the door and listening to Amir's voice. 

"We're about an hour away from Corellia, just thought you'd want to know," Amir said through the door. His tone was soft, laced with caution and fear?

_Amir was afraid of going to Corellia._

"Thank you," Din murmured. 

"You're welcome."

There was a moment of silence before Amir started speaking again.

"Hey, listen, we got lucky at the compound, Mando." His voice was concerned. "You may know the Outer Rim, but I know Corellia. The second we drop down and walk out of my ship, people will take one look at the kid and start asking questions, and we both don't want that."

Amir's sigh was deafening. Din could sense the weight on his shoulders and the guilt holding him down. Amir's voice turned soft. 

"I wanna protect the kid, too, okay? I'll admit they're kinda cute, and it's nice to hear something other than AB nagging me about not eating."

An angry beep sounded from the other side of the door. There was a _thwack!,_ followed by Amir growling, "Oi! Watch it AB, or I'm going to end up using you for spare parts!" 

AB's beeping and whirling echoed down the hall as she rolled away. Amir let out a huff, grumbling something about "re-wiring that kriffing droid" under his breath, but it was still loud enough for Din to hear. 

Din fought back a smirk and shifted his gaze to the sleeping Child. He didn't want to admit it, but Amir had a point. A very valid point and one he couldn't ignore. Braal's droid knew about Nevarro, which meant others were bound to know as well. If word of what happened on Nevarro had already spread to Tatoonie, the entire galaxy was going to find out sooner or later. And going to Corellia, a highly populated and industrial based planet -- Din sighed and closed his eyes. Amir was right; someone was going to recognize them and he couldn't take that chance. 

"Who did you have in mind?" he asked, hesitant. 

"I have a friend in the city who can watch him while we investigate," came the reply. 

"Do you trust them?"

Din held his breath. 

And without hesitation, Amir's voice came through again. 

"With my life."

Din nodded and pulled on his helmet and gloves. He opened the door, and there was Amir. He had changed his clothes again, opting for something more respectable and suitable for the likes of the citizens of Corellia. Especially ones like his family. His pants were clean and free of wrinkles, and so was his shirt. 

"Who are they?" Din asked, brushing past Amir and walking towards the kitchen.

"Willa Malenko."

Din paused his stride and turned to Amir, whose expression had become sad. Under his helmet, he quirked a brow. 

_Malenko? As in -_

"Oh, don't give me that look, Mando. I know what you're thinking," Amir grumbled as he walked into the kitchen. 

"Do you now?" he asked. 

Amir turned to face him and frowned. 

"You don't think I can handle going back to Corellia with the chance that we may run into my family, but also show up on my dead husband's sister's doorstep with your kid and ask her to watch him while we go hunt down the slavers who took Maris?"

Din held his expression and then folded his arms over his chest. 

And in response, Amir bristled. He jabbed a finger in his direction and scoffed. 

"I _can_ handle this; now, if you don't mind, we're about to jump out of hyperspace, so I suggest you hold onto something." 

Huffing, Amir stomped out of the kitchen, mumbling, and grumbling under his breath toward the cockpit. Din leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the drop. 

A moment later and there was a shudder, and the _Pyxis_ jolted, signaling him that they had broken out of hyperspace. Din pushed himself off the wall and made his way to the cockpit, where he found Amir still grumbling and mumbling to himself. He sat in the co-pilot's chair and looked out the window. 

And there before them was their destination: Corellia; the planet best known for its starships and pilots. 

Din glanced over at Amir, watching as the ex-rebel transmitted the necessary clearance codes and flew them down towards the planet. They sat in silence. The only sounds being the hums of the engines and Amir tapping on the throttle. Amir took them further into the planet's atmosphere, the underbelly of the _Pyxis_ grazing the stormy gray clouds that covered the capital, Coronet City. 

The city itself was bustling. Tiny dots representing the thousands of people who roamed the city were everywhere. Zipping in and out of tall buildings that stretched towards the storm clouds. The weather was much different to Tatoonie, and a nice change of scenery too. Storm clouds brewed to the east, and rain had already started coming down in a gentle drizzle. Din silently reminded himself to cover the little's one's ears when they leave the ship. 

Amir took one hand off the wheel and gestured flippantly to the city around them.

"Well, Mando, welcome to Corellia, the bane of my existence," he mumbled. 

Amir steered them towards one of the many hangars decorating the Coronet Spaceport and landed them safely onto the ground. He switched off the engines and leaned back into his chair. From what Din could see, Amir looked tired. He took note of the bags under his eyes and wondered, _when was the last time the kid slept?_

"Ready to go?" Amir asked quietly. 

Din nodded. 

Amir sighed and got up from his seat. He stretched his arms over his head, causing his shirt to ride up and reveal a sliver of tanned skin. Din forced himself to advert his eyes and rose to his feet. Amir jerked a thumb over his shoulder. 

"I'll meet you two on the boarding ramp."

Amir took his leave and disappeared out of the cockpit. 

Din watched him go and strode out of the cockpit. He returned to Amir's room to retrieve the Child who was now wide awake and sitting up in their cot. Din took them into his arms, smiling and running his fingers over the Child's twitching ears. He gathered the little one's things, some toys, and his favorite stuffed Mythosaur and made his way out of the room and to the boarding ramp where Amir stood waiting with AB-7 by his side. 

"AB fixed us up with some fake credentials to get us through security, so we shouldn't have any issues," Amir said, heaving a bag over his shoulder. 

Din noticed Amir's gaze shift to the Child. With a grin, he leaned down and tickled the Child under the chin, causing him to shriek and giggle. Din smiled and watched as Amir interacted with his young charge. Amir booped the young one on the nose and looked up at him with a look of mischief and relief. He stood up straight and opened the bay door and lowered the docking ramp. 

"Willa doesn't live far from here," Amir explained as they walked down the ramp. Once they stepped off, the ramp went back up and locked shut. "AB will stay with the ship while we're gone and contact us if anyone decides to 'check out' my ship."

They walked in sync, passing through the hangar doors and wandering into the main hub. The Coronet Spaceport was buzzing, commuters rushing to make their transports while others were impatiently waiting for theirs to arrive. Din kept his guard up as they passed through security, holding the Child tightly in his arms as an officer inquired about them. Amir gave them his signature grin, winked, and said, "Present for my niece." The officer eyed them warily but allowed them to pass through the checkpoint without any further delay.

When they finally exited the Spaceport, Din could see the change in Amir's body language. He was gripping at the bag on his shoulder like a lifeline and he was chewing on his bottom lip. He was anxious about something -- or if Din had to be a betting man, someone. 

"Does she know you're coming?"

"Who?"

"Willa."

There was a pause, a sigh, and no verbal response. Din's brows furrowed; he knew _exactly_ what that meant. He had known Amir Cordova long enough to know what those series of expressions meant. 

"She doesn't know you're coming, does she?" Din sighed.

"No, not really," Amir replied.

"Amir - "

Amir sharply turned to him with a look of desperation and sadness written on his face. He held the bag tighter, and there was something else in his eyes. Din looked closer and straightened his back. Amir was crying. Amir looked down at his feet, his body appearing defeated. He wiped away the tears and sucked in a deep breath. 

"Look, I haven't seen Willa since Callum died," Amir said. "And the last time I _was_ here, I was wearing black and burying my husband. I'm just hoping that Willa will answer the door."

Amir turned away and continued walking. Din followed after him, his gaze shifting down to the Child who let out a low whimper. He shushed the little one and tucked them closer into his chest. 

Just as Amir had said, they did not have to walk far before they reached the skyrise apartment building where Willa was living. Amir smooth-talked his way into letting them inside and onto an elevator to the 22nd floor with the front desk. The elevator dinged, and its doors opened to the 22nd floor. Amir was the first to exit, and Din and the Child were close behind. Din stayed a few steps back, observing as Amir strode up to the door -- 2253 -- and knocked. 

They waited a moment, and not a minute later, the door opened. 

Willa Malenko's bright blue eyes widened. A hand went to her mouth as she gasped and stared blankly at Amir. She shook her head, not believing the sight in front of her.

"Amir?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Din watched as Amir gave Willa a sheepish grin, and his shoulders slumped. 

"Hey, Willa," he breathed. Amir took a step to the left and the look on Willa's face when she locked onto him was nothing short of shock and astonishment. "I need a favor."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading! if you can leave a kudos or a comment that would be great! 
> 
> \- natalie


	7. family reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willa gets to play babysitter, the search for Maris begins, and Din has to clean up Amir's mess (again).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! so sorry for not updating in a while! i've been very busy lately with work, family, and other projects. my cousin who was sick with covid-19 is now recovering and doing better! my brother-in-law also was starting to get sick and luckily he tested negative for covid-19! doctors are still unsure of what is going on with him but we are happy that he wasn't struck down with the virus. in the meantime, he's doing what he can to get better. 
> 
> one note: i recently finished all of 'star wars: the clone wars' and i was wrecked. absolutely wrecked. so please, if you want to chat about how filoni made me sob like a small child after losing their favorite toy, send me a message on tumblr @red-hairedwriter7 and we can cry together. 
> 
> again, thank you for taking the time to read my fic! i'm just happy to get back into the swing of things!
> 
> enjoy!

* * *

_Din couldn't believe he was in this situation._

_He was growing... attached to Amir._

_So attached that his own behavior had changed in such a way he couldn't believe. Example: someone would approach Amir with any intention (whether it be business or pleasure), he would emit a low growl. It startled most people, their eyes widening from fright, and when he made the same low noise a second time, they would scurry away like frightened mouse-droids._

_Of course, by displaying such behavior, he had gained the reputation as the ex-rebel's guard dog._

_On the one hand, Amir found it charming and flattering. Lips curling into a smirk over his drink as someone retreated to their booth with wide eyes. Din scowled; the ex-rebel was enjoying this. Of course, Amir would never admit it._

_And on the other hand, Din wanted nothing more than to bury this new-found attachment beyond the furthermost regions of the galaxy._

_At first, it started with fleeting glances._

_Din would catch himself staring at Amir ever so often. He remembers watching Amir sit on the floor, biting his bottom lip, and working on another project. He was consumed by this little project. Brows furrowed and eyes darting back in forth as he zapped the circuit board with his solder. He was focused and determined; both admirable qualities and both Din had come to learn about Amir. After zapping his solder on the board a few times, the ex-rebel would wipe his hand across his forehead, staining his skin with grease and oil. Din forced himself not to walk over and wipe away the grime from Amir's tanned skin._

_There was another time when a job went wrong (horribly, horribly wrong), and they returned to the ship covered in muck, bloody and bruised. After dropping his blaster and bag onto the floor, Amir crawled up to the cockpit, slumped into the co-pilot's chair, wincing as he attempted to sit up to start patching himself up. Din had been lucky on this job and walked away with some scuffs on his armor and some bruises. Amir, however, got the brunt of the damage. It wasn't until Amir's third attempt and yelp of pain when Din stepped in and took over. He was careful to wipe away the blood that had dried over the blaster graze on Amir's right side and patch him back up._

_Or the times where Din would climb into the cockpit and find Amir curled up in the co-pilot's chair and sleeping. Din sat down in the pilot's chair and looked out the window. Night had fallen, and the planet's moon was high in the sky. The stars sprinkled across the skies like the flicking of a paintbrush._

_Din looked over to Amir and felt a pang in his chest. He looked so young and peaceful, not some ex-rebel pilot who had been in battle and seen his friends die at the hands of the Empire._

_He was getting in too deep._

_Then came the lingering touches. A series of touches with all different meanings such as a hand on the shoulder that meant, 'i owe you one'. Or tanned fingers grazing the inside of his wrist, asking the question, 'are you still with me' And Din's favorite (although he wouldn't dare admit it), the 'i trust you so please trust me on this' touch: Amir's hand would be on the back of his neck, and their foreheads would just be inches from touching._

_Despite all the looks and touches, it wasn't until Din found himself lying on top of Amir and staring into those green-grey eyes that did him in._

_After completing their latest job, they were sparring outside the_ Crest. _Amir, being slightly shorter and thinner than him, was faster. He could dodge punches and roll away from blows as fast as a Loth-cat. However, Amir had no armor to protect him from well-executed punches and kicks. Din spun on his heel, narrowingly missing a boot to his stomach. He looked up, and Amir winked at him._

_"You growing soft, Mando?" Amir laughed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to like me!"_

_"Far from it, kid."_

Huffing, _Din lunged at him and slammed Amir to the ground._

_Amir's head thumped onto the forest floor, and he let out a groan. Din snatched both of Amir's wrists and pinned them above his head. Chest heaving, sweat beading at his forehead and causing his hair to stick to his forehead, and Amir's kissable lips twisted into a wicked grin._

_Amir looked -_

_Insatiable._

_"Yield," Din growled._

_Amir let out a chuckle, and Din felt his breath hitch. His grip tightened on Amir's wrist. He squeezed his wrists, causing Amir to flinch and whine. Din wanted nothing more to hear such a noise come from Amir's lips again. He wanted to hear those noises come from Amir's filthy mouth as he held him down and took the ex-rebel for his own. Din felt Amir's hips shift and something very hard brush against his front. His breath caught in his throat._

_Amir was turned on by this._

_Very, very turned on._

_"Yield!" he demanded again._

_Amir's eyes narrowed. He leaned up, his face mere inches from touching his helmet. And his voice just barely above a whisper, spoke the word, "Never."_

_And in that very moment, Din knew he was kriffed, and his demise would be at the hands of this ex-rebel pilot._

-

"I need a favor," Amir had said.

Din watched silently as the woman who stood in the doorway, Willa Malenko, folded her arms over her chest and frowned at them. She eyed him with a raised brow and then focused her attention back to Amir. The Child in his arms let out a curious coo and squirmed in his arms. He quietly shushed his charge and returned his gaze to the exchange in front of him. 

"What the hell are you doing here, Amir?" she asked. 

"Can we talk more inside?" Amir said, his voice low. He gestured to the other apartments around them. He leaned forward and whispered, "I don't think you'd want to be the subject of your neighbors' gossip, right?" 

Willa's frown deepened. Apparently, Amir's words had hit a nerve. Shaking her head, Willa huffed and stepped aside, allowing them to enter the apartment. 

"Don't make me regret this," she muttered as Amir brushed past her. 

"You won't." came the reply.

Amir went in first, and Din followed suit, the Child in his arms gurgling and turning their head to marvel at their new surroundings. 

The apartment itself was quite spacious and clean. Grey hardwood floors. Black marble countertops in the kitchen. Light fixtures made with sparkling crystal. White and grey furniture scattered throughout the living room. See-through, silk curtains had been drawn back to reveal clouded skies. 

Din couldn't help but wonder how Willa could afford a place like this. His eyes scanned the apartment, and that's where he saw it. The portrait of Willa and a man. But not just any portrait, a wedding portrait. Willa was dressed in a floor-length gown, hair was done up in a tight bun, and jewelry that probably cost a fortune. So, she'd married wealthy and was now living the dream of every young hopeful in the galaxy. 

"Alright, I'm going to ask you again, what are you doing here, Amir?" Willa said once the front door had been closed. 

Amir looked appalled. He opened his arms, outstretched for a hug. 

"What, can't a man see his favorite sister-in-law?" he said with a pout. 

_Keep this up Amir, you're doing such a_ great _job,_ Din shook his head. 

Din remained silent, gaze flickering between Willa and Amir. He watched as Willa's expression changed. She appeared to be no longer angry but almost disappointed, and her body language reflected that. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She lowered her head, her chin dipping down. She shook her head and sighed. 

"Amir, the last time I saw you was when my family had to bury Callum, and when you finally showed up, you were a drunken mess, now, before I call security and have you thrown out of here for trespassing and causing a disturbance, what the _hell_ are you doing here?"

Amir lowered his arms and dropped them to his sides. He turned towards him and met his gaze. His eyes pleaded for assurance and guidance; he felt alone. Din took a step forward and watched as Amir slowly turned back to Willa. 

"Maris' been taken, Willa," Amir explained. "I need to find her before something else happens to her."

Willa's eyes widened. 

"What?" she asked. Willa sounded surprised.

Her eyebrows drew together, and she moved closer to Amir. She shook her head, confused and shocked. Din could see the confusion written on her face and it was obvious that Willa had some kind of relationship with Maris. 

"Who would want to take Maris? She's just a kid," Willa said. "Why would someone take her?"

"I don't know who took her or why," Amir said, shaking his head. His voice was sad and his arms lay limp at his sides. He jerked his head towards Din. "But from what Mando and I found on Tatoonie, it looks like slavers took her, and they brought her here."

"Slavers?"

"You sound surprised," Din spoke.

Willa shrugged and folded her arms over her chest. The look on her face said it all. She was surprised and confused, but she knew something.

"When the Empire fell, a lot of their followers went underground and decided to join the criminal syndicates scattered throughout the galaxy. Lady Proxima's White Worms reigned here on Corellia a long time, but they started to die off when the Empire fell," Willa explained. 

"And with the Empire gone, they lost their primary source of income," Din finished. 

"Exactly."

Willa nodded. She shrugged again and gestured out the window, pointing to the direction of the shipyards.

"There are rumors that still members of the White Worms still work in the shipyards. You could ask around and see if anyone has heard or seen Maris, or her captors," she paused. "but, surely that's not the only reason why you've come here asking for my help."

"I need you to watch the kid while Mando and I look for Maris," Amir said. "After what happened on Tatoonie, the kid's not safe with us."

Willa quirked a brow.

"Kid? What kid?" 

"That kid."

Amir jerked a thumb over his shoulder. Willa's eyes followed the direction in which Amir was pointing and looked over to Din. Her eyes dropped down to the Child. The Child let out a laugh and reached out to her with their claws. She blinked a few times before shaking her head and then returning her attention to Amir. 

"Care to tell me what happened on Tatoonie?" Willa asked with a pointed look. 

"Nothing."

"Amir shot someone."

The room fell silent. There was a warble from the Child, Willa sighing, and Amir groaning. 

"Now, _that_ I can believe," Willa murmured. Her eyes flickered over to Amir. "Your temper often got you into trouble even when you were with the Rebels."

"That was a long time ago, Willa," Amir huffed. "So, will you help us?"

Willa tapped her finger against her chin, sighed, and nodded. Amir breathed a sigh of relief.

"You are very lucky I have a soft spot for children, Amir Cordova," Willa said, pointing a finger at Amir. "Besides, the kid's cute -- in a weird, wrinkled alien way."

In response, Amir held up both hands in surrender, grinning sheepishly at her. Willa rolled her eyes, brushed past Amir, and waltzed right up to Din. She reached out and ran her thumb and index finger over the Child's ears. They let out a shrill giggle and squirmed in Din's arms. She looked up at him and smiled. 

"Thank you for agreeing to watch them," Din said. 

"Well, Amir and I are still family, and family is always there for each other," Willa replied. "Besides, I don't think my brother would've been happy if I had said no to his husband."

At the mention of Callum, Din glanced up and saw now Amir standing in the kitchen, leaning over the sink. His expression had softened, and his eyes downcast. He appeared -- sad. Lost in thought. He was remembering a time not too long ago. Amir's fingers had tightened on the chain around his neck. Din felt something pull at his heart. 

_Right. Family._

-

Soon after dropping off the Child with Willa and leaving the apartment, Din and Amir began their search with Willa's suggestion: the shipyards. 

The most logical place to look. With one of the largest shipyards on the planet, someone would have seen at least something. And so, their search began. 

Amir asked every pilot, crewmember, pirate, and smuggler he came across as they scoured the shipyards. At first, he would ask if anyone had seen Maris and then show them her picture, but after a hundred times of receiving a multitude of "no's", "haven't seen her", and "sorry kid", Amir dropped the act and his approach changed. 

Amir was no longer willing to play nice anymore. 

The further they traveled and the longer they searched for any information about Maris, the more angry and desperate Amir became. 

Din hung back, watching as Amir's attempts became more and more violent and extreme. Slamming people into walls, snarling in their face, and demanding an answer. Din could honestly say that he had never seen Amir act in such a way, and if he continued, no one was going to come forward and give them the information they needed.

Hours had gone by, and before long, Din finally stepped in after Amir had threatened to gut a Rodian after they'd commented on how pretty Maris was. He snatched Amir by the shoulders, dragging him back as Amir spat and cursed after the Rodian. He led them down a narrow alley and shoved Amir onto a cargo crate. When Amir went to stand, Din grabbed him by the shoulders and pinned him to the wall. 

"You're letting your emotions interfere," Din commented.

"She's my sister, Mando," Amir spat. 

"And she'll be dead if you keep this up!"

"What else am I suppose to do? Just sit here and play nice?"

"You need to calm down. _Now._ We've done things your way, and now, we're going to do them my way," Din growled. He tightened his hold on Amir's wrists. "Stay here, cool off, and wait until I get back. I won't be more than an hour."

"I'm coming with you, Mando," Amir snapped, pressing forward. "I was the one who asked for your help, remember?"

_Oh no you don't._ Din shoved him harder against the wall, their chests bumping against one another. 

"Don't make me cuff you, Cordova."

Amir's eyes flickered with mischief, and his lips curled into a grin. A very familiar wicked grin that Din had burned into his memory. 

"The last time you cuffed me, I still managed to get out of them, remember?"

A knee brushed against his thigh, and Din stiffened. 

The memories came flooding back.

Hot breath panted in his ear. 

Grunts. Moans. High-pitched whines. 

Someone gasping for air as they lay sprawled out beneath him.

Their bare hips bucking up and knocking into his own. 

_Kriff._

Din could feel the memory's claws begin to reach out and brush against the edges of his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. Before long, Din let out a sharp breath and released Amir from his grip. He pushed the memory far, far back into his mind, and turned his attention to the entrance of the alley. He spun on his heel and stalked towards the entrance of the alley. 

"Where are you going?" Amir asked, rubbing his wrists. 

"To clean up your mess," was the answer. 

Din stepped out of the alley and scanned the shipyards for the Rodian, who had unfortunately met the less-than-pleasant version of Amir. And before long, he spotted them walking down the shipyard. Their mouth was moving, and something small and white was in their hand. 

_A comm. link._

Din kept to the shadows, opting to stay closer to the alleyways as he brushed past people. His eyes remained in the direction of the Rodian until he was just feet away. He watched as the Rodian ducked into another alley and disappeared. Din continued on and slipped into the darkened alley. He moved behind some storage crates, hiding in the shadows and watching the Rodian. He pressed a few buttons on his vambrace. His HUD crackled with static until finally, he heard voices. 

"Cordova's here," the Rodian said. 

_"How much does he know?"_ another voice echoed. 

The voice was gravely and altered—Din swore. He had no way of identifying the voice now. His gaze flickered to the comm. link, and he quirked a brow. But maybe Amir could.

He had to get that comm. link. 

"Enough to know that the girl's been here. You didn't say anything about the kid having a friend." came the reply. 

_"A friend?"_ the voice sounded surprised. There was a tsking noise, followed by the same voice saying, _"Cordova does not have any friends."_

"Well, he does now," the Rodian huffed. They rolled their eyes. "He's with some Mandalorian. Bounty hunter from the looks of it."

_"The Mandalorian is of no concern to_ me," there was a pause. The voice returned, sighing. Their tone changed from sharp to nonchalant. Din could almost hear the wave of the hand. Dismissive and distant. _"After all, a Mandalorian is merely a dog with no bite. Now, continue your mission as planned. With Braal dead, I cannot afford any more mistakes."_

"Yes, my lady."

_So, Braal and the Rodian were working for the same person,_ Din thought. A _woman, no less. A very powerful woman who has a grudge against Amir. Should be fairly easy to narrow down._

The Rodian ended the conversation and turned on their heel to exit the alley. Din stepped out from behind the crates and blocked the Rodian's path. The Rodian froze on sight. Din's hand reached down to his blaster, but he did not grab it. 

"Where's the girl?" he asked. 

"I won't tell you anything," the Rodian snarled. 

"Look, I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold. Your choice."

The Rodian appeared to be weighing their options, and before long, they dropped the comm. link to the ground and smashed it with their foot. However, the Rodian was unarmed and no match for Din. They looked fairly proud of themselves, but Din shook his head. 

Bad move. 

"You really shouldn't have done that," Din muttered. He grabbed his blaster and pointed it at the Rodian. It began to hum and his finger curled around the trigger. "Now, I'm only going to ask you this one more time, where is the girl?"

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! please leave a kudos or comment if you'd like!
> 
> \- natalie


	8. feelings are a funny thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> amir and mando finally confront their frustrations towards each other. mando returns with news about maris; and it's not good. and amir just wants to drown himself in alcohol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends! ya girl is back at it again with an update! i'm trying to get on a more consistent schedule but with work, planning my wedding, therapy, and loads of other things, it's been a bit of a struggle. i'm hoping to post at least twice a month if i can. so do be on the look out!
> 
> enjoy chapter 8 everyone!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

_Amir Cordova was frustrated._

_Sexually frustrated to be precise._

_During their sparring session in the forest on some remote planet, Amir had made it clear that he was attracted to the Mandalorian. However, despite Amir giving Mando the green light and many, many signals to continue -- Mando had done nothing._

_Nothing._

_And Amir was starting to wonder if he had gone too far. Or maybe Mando was just dense._

No, _Amir firmly told himself._ Mando is far from dense. He is many things, but dense is not one of them. Maybe he doesn't find me attractive. 

_But that couldn't be right. Amir had caught the tail end of those fleeting glances and the lingering touches. He felt Mando's gaze boring into his back when he was working on those dumb projects. He felt Mando's fingers graze his cheek even when he lay curled up in the co-pilot's chair. There was no denying that there was a mutual attraction. What Amir couldn't understand was that Mando was hesitant and almost afraid of going forward._

_What was stopping him from seeking out what he wanted?_

_Amir wanted Mando. He wanted him bad. He hadn't wanted anyone like this since -- well, since Callum. Callum was his best friend. His partner. His husband. His everything._

_And Amir loved Callum more than anything in the galaxy, but Mando?_

_Mando was something Amir had never had before. Mando was dangerous --- forbidden. Mando was powerful, strong, and distant. And deadly. Very, very deadly. Amir was certain that Mando could kill him with just a flick of the wrist. And Amir couldn't help but wonder what kind of person--what kind of creature--hid under that helmet._

_And finally, after several days of Mando avoiding him in the cramped quarters that was the_ Crest _and on their latest job_ , _Amir was done with the silence._

_He had to do something -- anything to get Mando to see that Amir was serious and that their partnership had changed._

_They had just finished a long day of surveillance, and both were tired and in need of sleep. Amir pushed the button to close the ramp and dropped his bag onto the ground. He looked up at the retreating form the Mandalorian and asking, "Why are you avoiding me?"_

_Mando stopped, and his hand slowly dropped from the ladder leading to the cockpit. He slowly turned to face him. The Mandalorian's body language was rigid and taut as a bowstring. He had been caught off guard, but he still did not falter. His grip on his rifle tightened. He was stunned, but he was anxious as well. He was like a cornered loth-cat, and Amir was the one who had put him there._

_"You've been avoiding me ever since we sparred," Amir pressed. "So, I'm gonna ask you again, why are you avoiding me?"_

_A moment of silence passed between them._

_"I don't think you'll like my answer," came the reply._

_"You don't know that."_

_"Oh, I think you do."_

_Amir watched as Mando shifted on his feet and loosened his grip from his rifle. He was starting to relax, but his guard was still up. The Mandalorian slipped the rifle off, laid it against the wall, and then locked on Amir's gaze. Amir held his breath, waiting and watching for Mando to make the next move._

_However, what Amir did not expect was Mando taking two long strides and began pressing him backward. Amir's breath hitched as the Mandalorian's hands went to his waist and rucked up his shirt, gloved fingers grazing over his stomach. Amir fought to repress the shiver that went shooting up his spine and made his vision sparkle. A hand rested on his stomach and started to sneak under his waistband. Amir let out a whine and shut his eyes as he felt something cold graze his cheek._

Beskar, _he reminded himself._ It was beskar.

_"Are you sure?" the Mandalorian murmured._

_Amir nodded, his eyes never tearing away from the beskar helmet in front of him._

_"Yes."_

* * *

Eyes closed, Amir sat back on the storage crate alone in the alley, with his arms folded over his chest. Time passed, and before long, the familiar sound of boots entering the alley alerted Amir of the Mandalorian's presence. Amir scrambled to his feet and took note of the Mandlorian's appearance. He could see traces of fresh blood on his boots and at the frayed edges of his cloak. There were blood and scuff marks on his armor but no signs of scorch marks from a blaster. 

Amir's mind drifted back. He didn't recall ever hearing a blaster go off, let alone someone screaming. Amir finally came to conclusion that the Mandalorian either killed the Rodian without firing a single shot, or the Rodian did it for him. 

But how, he wondered. 

Amir looked down at Mando's closed fist. There was something clenched tightly in his fist, and the unmistaken feeling of tension coming off his frame. Something had happened with the Rodian, and it did not turn out well either. 

Amir opened his mouth to ask what happened, but the silent Mandalorian continued to walk past him and go further down the alley. He was still radiating anger and spite. Amir frowned. He looked to the entrance and then turned on his heel to chase after the Mandalorian. 

"What happened with the Rodian?" he asked, after catching up with Mando.

"I cleaned up your mess," came the reply. 

"So, I take it the Rodian's dead?"

"You would be correct."

"How?"

"Poison. Wasn't me. Rodian swallowed something when I had them cornered."

Amir paused and asked the question that had been lingering on his mind since Mando had returned. 

"And Maris?"

The Mandalorian stopped dead in his tracks. There were about half-way down the alley and isolated enough that no one else could hear them. Amir looked around. They were alone, which meant Mando intended to place them in such a situation. 

_because he knows something about maris._

Amir held his breath as he watched Mando slowly turn towards him and opened his hand. There in his palm was a comm. link, shattered into dozens of little pieces. 

"I'm sorry, Amir," was the Mandalorian's reply. 

Amir's heart dropped to his stomach. He let out a shaky breath and swallowed. He reached for the comm. link and took the broken pieces into his hand. He moved some of them around with his finger and looked up at the Mandalorian. 

"What did the Rodian tell you?" Amir asked softly. 

"Amir - "

"What did they say?" he asked again. 

There was a tired sigh. 

"Braal was ordered to give you some empty leads leading to Maris," Mando explained. "And while you were searching the galaxy, the Rodian was taking Maris to another planet, before coming here to finish some other business."

_braal you coniving bastard._

"Another planet?" 

Amir felt his shoulders slump, and his hand curled around the broken comm. link. He was almost afraid to ask his next question, but deep down, he knew he had to.

"Was she even here?" 

Another pause. 

Amir closed his eyes and fought a scream that clawed at the back of his throat.

"No," Mando replied. "Braal lied to us."

Amir let out a hollow laugh and shook his head. His eyes narrowed as he continued to shake his head and laugh. 

"That sleemo didn't lie to you, _Mando_ , he lied to me," Amir snapped. 

_and like the kriffing idiot that i am, i fell for it. i fucking fell for it,_ he thought to himself. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He sniffed and squeezed his eyes shut. He could feel the anger bubbling in his veins as his shoulders began to shake, and the tears fell onto his heated cheeks. 

He was such a fool. A fucking fool with a temper that had the nasty habit of making things worse for everyone. 

He was a fool to believe - to trust - Braal's word. He should've known better -- that it was most likely a trick. He should've trusted his instincts. He should've -- _fuck._ Amir shook his head. 

Even in death, the Hutts were usually the ones who got the last laugh; and in this case, Tijar Braal did. 

And Amir was left standing in an alley with a broken comm. link and nowhere near to finding Maris. 

"Amir?"

Amir barely moved at the solid grip on his bicep -- the same one that held the broken comm. link. His eyes were still glued to the ground. Mando gave his arm a gentle shake, stirring him from his thoughts and forcing him to look up. While the beskar did its job at hiding Mando's face from any living soul, Amir could still feel the lingering sense of concern and sympathy. With his free hand, Amir placed it on top of Mando's hand and sighed. 

It was back to square one. Maris was still out there. Somewhere, and hopefully, alive.

"We should get the kid and get back to the ship," Mando suggested. He gestured to the darkening sky and orange-yellow-purple tint of a sunset in the distance. "It's getting late."

_always the voice of reason,_ Amir reminded himself. His lips quirked into a faint smile at the thought. He nodded and stuffed the broken comm. link into his pocket. He hastily wiped his eyes and shrugged off Mando's hand. 

"You go ahead and get the kid. I'll head back to the _Pyxis_ and start working on fixing this comm. link," Amir said with a shaky breath. "I'll make sure to leave the boarding ramp open for you two."

"You going to be okay going back alone?"

Amir smirked, masking the sadness and disappointment hanging off his lips. 

"What? You worried about me?"

"Amir," Mando warned. 

Amir waved the Mandalorian off, assuring Mando that he would be fine and that he could handle himself. He watched as Mando nodded, accepting his answer (almost a tad reluctantly) and began walking out of the alley. When the Mandalorian disappeared, and the alley was filled with silence, Amir's knees buckled, and he reached out to brace himself against the wall.

_kriffing hells,_ Amir swore. 

Today had already started as a shitty-ass day, and now _this_? Amir sucked in a deep breath. He pressed his back against the wall and sunk to the ground. Tears now streaming down his face, Amir brought his knees to his chest. He buried his face between his knees and shut his eyes. 

Amir did not stay too long in the alley. Before long, he knew that Mando would return to the Pyxis and if he discovered he was not there, Mando would come dragging him back by his ear. Amir carefully rose to his feet and stalked out of the alley, fully aware of the tear stains on his cheeks. He could feel dozens of eyes stare at him as he walked past them and wandered back to the port. None of the guards made an attempt to stop him, as if they could sense the emotions that came off him. 

Finally, Amir wandered into the hangar where his ship was waiting for him, still in one piece. He tapped a few buttons on bracers and waited as the boarding ramp let out a hiss and began to lower. He lifted his gaze up to the entrance and found AB rolling around and greeting him with happy trills and beeps.

**"Friend-Amir! You are home!"** she chirped. She rolled around his feet, continuing to beep and chirp. She suddenly stopped when it appeared that no one else had followed him. 

**"Friend-Mando missing,"** AB beeped. She let out a mournful beep and nudged Amir in the ankle. **"Friend-Child missing too."**

Amir snorted and knelt beside AB. Kriff, he loved this droid. She was unique in her own right. Chuckling, he pressed his forehead against the cool metal of her head and tapped her on the side. 

"Not missing, just coming back later. Mando went to get the kid from Willa, so don't worry. They'll be back soon enough," Amir explained, rising to his feet. 

**"Find Friend-Maris?"**

Amir held his breath, and his fingers went instantly to the chain around his neck. He shook his head and whispered, "No, AB. We didn't find her. But we're gonna find her, okay? I promise."

**"Friend-Amir sad,"** AB observed. **"Why Friend-Amir sad?"**

Amir quirked a brow. 

"Since when did you get all intuned with my emotions, AB?" 

**"Always. Programmed to pick up heightened emotions."**

Amir rolled his eyes and scowled. _kriffing droid is becoming more human every day._ With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet and motioned for AB to follow him further into the ship. He led them back to the cockpit where Amir slumped into his chair and propped his feet up. He glanced out the window and watched as the storm clouds began to build and turn dark. Like most days in Corellia, a storm was coming and it was going to be a big one. 

_hopefully the kid and mando will get back here in time,_ Amir thought with a huff. 

Almost an hour passed and Amir heard the sound of boots treading through the ship. Amir did not move as the footsteps grew louder and finally stopped at the doorway. 

"The kid have fun with Willa?" Amir asked as Mando walked into the cockpit. 

"They were fast asleep by the time I came by," Mando commented, settling into the chair opposite of Amir. "Willa said she had fun with them and that she's willing to watch them again."

"Well, that doesn't really surprise me," Amir snickered. His fingers drifted to the chain around his neck. He bit his lip and then cleared his throat. "I'm just surprised she gave the kid back. For a second, I was starting to wonder if you had to pry her hands off the kid."

Silence filled the cockpit once more. 

"The Rodian's contact mentioned you by name. I'm guessing that whoever Braal and the Rodian were working for have it out for you," Mando stated. 

"Sorry to break it to you but that could be anyone," Amir muttered, getting to his feet. He stretched his arms above his head and cracked his back with a grunt. "I've made a lot of enemies since we last saw each other, Mando."

"Like who?"

"How much time do you have?" 

"Enough."

Amir snorted and propped open the hidden compartment that held the old bounty puck. He retrieved a silver flask, a gift from his father, and popped the cap open. He took a swig of the whiskey and hummed.

"You plan on drinking the rest of the night?"

"Nope, just wanted a sip before I pluck up the courage to give something that belongs to you _._ "

Amir leaned forward and dug through the compartment again. His fingers brushed against the old bounty puck and he flinched. Grunting, he dug around some more until he finally came to what he had been searching for. He pulled out a black, opaque blindfold. Amir quickly shut the compartment before Mando could see what else he was hiding in there. He turned to face Mando and held out the blindfold. The Mandalorian took the blindfold from Amir and rubbed his fingers over the material. 

"Figured you'd want that back," Amir said with a shrug. "I haven't had a use for it since - well, you know."

There was a beat of silence until the Mandalorian's gravelly voice cut through the air. 

"Why'd you keep it?"

Amir froze. His heart stuttered at the question. His palms began to sweat, and fingers twitched. He swallowed and avoided the Mandalorian's gaze. He would give anything to run and hide for another two years if he could. After their less-than-pleasant departure, Amir had wrestled with that thought for a long time, and every answer he came to was always the same. 

_i think there was a part of me that was hoping you'd come back._

"Amir?"

"Alright, alright, you want the truth, Mando?" Amir laughed. 

He shook his head, and soon enough, the words came spilling out like a dam that was ready to burst. 

"I think there was a part of me that was always hoping you'd come back to -- to me," Amir gestured between them and leaned against the control panel. "To _whatever_ this was between us. Besides, we didn't exactly part on good terms, remember?" Desperate to leave the conversation and the cockpit, he threw his hands in the air and huffed. "Look, it's in the past, Mando. We've both done the right thing and moved on."

_but have you really moved on?_ a little voice mocked him. 

Amir pushed himself away from the control panel and began walking past the Mandalorian only to be stopped when a large hand wrapped around his bicep. Amir looked up to meet the beskar helmet. The Mandalorian tightened his grip on Amir's arm and tugged him closer, their chests bumping against one another. 

A deafening silence filled the cockpit again. 

_you still want him._

_you've always wanted him._

_but he was something you could never have._

_something you've dreamed of for years and years._

_and now..._

_and now?_

_he could be yours again._

_so, what will it be, amir?_

_will you run or will you make a move?_

Amir wasn't sure who made the first move, but he was almost sure that it was the Mandalorian. A gloved hand snuck down to his waist and dipped below the waistband of his pants. Amir's breath hitched as he squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his head back. His own hands went up to grasp as the collar of the Mandalorian's tattered cloak. He gave the material a firm tug, urging the Mandalorian to continue forward. 

He wanted this.

"Are you sure?" Mando grunted in his ear. 

Amir fought against the moan from tearing from his throat. He slowly nodded and pressed his front closer to the Mandalorian. 

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The Mandalorian took hold of Amir's hand and began leading them back towards the spare quarters where Amir had been staying. Amir grinned as he was pushed back towards the cot and forced to sit down. Mando went back to the door and locked it.

No interruptions. 

Amir watched as Mando approached him with the blindfold in his hands. He closed his eyes and allowed Mando to tie the blindfold around his head and tie a sturdy knot at the back. Mando gave it an experimental tug, testing its strength, and once satisfied, Amir heard the distinct sound of armor hissing and clinking. 

The beskar was coming off. 

Amir listened closely to the armor's sounds being placed neatly on the bare shelf that he'd never used. The sound was familiar and comforting. Amir's own skin shivered at the memories of being led back into the poor excuse for a bedroom on the _Crest_. Mando would first blindfold him, and he would sit and wait as Mando stripped away his armor, piece by piece. 

There was another hiss and swoosh. Amir's fingers twitched in response, and his lips quirked into a grin. He knew that Mando always saved his helmet for last. 

Amir fought to suppress the shudder that desperately wanted to travel from his fingers all the way to his toes. He gripped the edge of the cot, knowing full well that his knuckles were going white, and whined when a very familiar mouth latched onto his neck and pressed a soft kiss against the hollow of his throat. 

"It's not too late to back out, Amir," Mando murmured into his ear. 

Amir fervently shook his head. No, no, he wanted this. He wanted this more than anything right now. He was so tired of being rejected and turned away. He had to seize this chance. He -- 

"I want you," Amir said firmly. His fingers itching to touch something, _anything_. "Okay? I want you, Mando."

Amir felt the lips on his neck quirk into a smile.

"Okay."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for taking the time to read the latest chapter! please leave a comment or kudos if you want. i'd love to hear from you all!
> 
> see you guys next chapter!
> 
> \- natalie


	9. teeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years is a long time; but for Din and Amir, it's as if no time has passed at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: please notice that the rating has gone up for this story as we have entered the smutty territory. 
> 
> hello friends!
> 
> ya girl is back again with a new chapter and this one is steammmyyyy. oh yes, we have finally reached the smutty part of the story and it is sooo good. i am pretty proud of this chapter and hope that you all enjoy it too! 
> 
> so without further adieu, let us dive into the chapter!

* * *

_The next morning, Din woke to something warm and solid pressing against his side and heavy on his shoulder. He cracked an eye open and found Amir lying peacefully beside him. Eyes shut, body relaxed, and snoring softly. One arm lay over his stomach, fingers curling into his side and clutching him tightly. Amir's nose twitched and scrunched up. He let out a small moan before burrowing himself further into Din's shoulder._

_The pilot looked so young lying beside him, almost as young as his days in the Rebel Alliance. Din couldn't help but take in every inch of Amir. Starting from his face and down the length of his lean body. The worry lines that appeared when Amir furrowed his brows or scowled at him were long gone. He was relaxed and at peace._

_Din continued to rake his eyes over Amir's sleeping form, his lips quirking into a smirk at the new bruises and bitemarks that covered Amir's neck and shoulders. His mind drifted to the night before, where Amir lay on his stomach while he sat atop of him, nipping and biting at his exposed shoulders. His eyes moved down to Amir's lips, and he sighed._

_He had distinct memories of those lips from last night. The sounds that came out of Amir's mouth were just pure sin. High-pitched whines, breathless moans, and frantic whispers of "Mando" rolled off the tongue. With a wicked grin, Din was more than happy to oblige Amir and his desperate pleas._

_Din forced himself to push those thoughts to the furthest reaches of his mind and continued his roaming. His eyes moved over the many scars that littered themselves over Amir's body. A thin scar on his left collarbone, a childhood injury Din had learned. Another scar on his right shoulder; shrapnel from a dogfight, Amir had told him. And the most recent one, fairly large in size, still angry and red -- the Jakku job, Din reminded himself._

_Din shifted his weight, careful not to wake Amir and grazed his fingers against the angry-looking scar. He ran his fingers up and down Amir's side, brushing his ribs before leaning down and burying his nose into Amir's neck. He inhaled Amir's scent, committing it to his memory before he pressed another kiss to his temple._

_Beside him, Amir squirmed and mumbled something under his breath. Din held his breath, watching and waiting to see if Amir would wake. But he did not stir. With a grunt, Din gingerly pulled away from the blanket from his hips and climbed out of the narrow bunk. He dressed in silence, snapping on his armor, and finally slipped his helmet over his head. He sat back on the bunk, reaching to pull on his boots when he felt arms come up to wrap around his middle._

_Amir let out a yawn and propped his chin on Din's shoulder. Din glanced back to see that Amir was in the process of waking up, his eyes half-lidden, and a sleepy smile on his face._

_"Hi," Amir grinned, eyes shining, free of the blindfold._

_"Good morning," Din replied. His eyes flicked over to the pillow where the blindfold now lay._

_His gloved fingers touched Amir's wrist and gave it a firm squeeze. Amir nuzzled his face further into his shoulder and yawned again._

_"Going somewhere?"_

_"Just getting dressed, why? You want me to stay?"_

_Amir's cheeks flushed pink as if he was embarrassed. Din found it nothing short of adorable. With a hum, he shifted on the already narrow bunk and tugged Amir's warm body closer to him. Amir grabbed onto the armor, steadying himself. Din held onto Amir and then pressed their foreheads together -- a Keldable kiss. One of his hands crawled up to the back of Amir's neck and held him there._

_"Sleep, I'll be back in a few hours," Din said._

_Amir huffed and rolled his eyes. He muttered something under his breath and leaned up, pressing his lips to the center of his helmet._

_"Fine," Amir murmured. "I'll be here. But when I wake up I expect you to be back because I do believe you owe me another round."_

_Din squeezed the back of Amir's neck a final time before rising to his feet and exiting the cramped space. He looked over his shoulder, watching as Amir curled under the covers, pulling the blanket closer to his chest and eyes slipping shut. Before long, Amir was out like a light and fast asleep._

_Din climbed up to the cockpit and sat down in his chair. He leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. He slipped off his helmet and set it on his lap. Din ran a hand through his hair and sighed._

_Their mutual partnership was meant to only last a few jobs, maybe 2 or 3 at the most... but 3 turned into 4, and 4 turned into 5; and it was not long before Din realized that there was something else that lay under the surface._

_He had gone too deep._

_He had gotten attached to Amir._

_And now?_

_Well, now, he had just slept with Amir._

_Din felt his heart drop to his stomach._

_Somehow he knew that this was not going to be the last time they would fall into bed together._

_And boy, was he right._

* * *

Din Djarin was utterly, undeniably, and most certainly _fucked._

He had sworn that the last time he had slept with Amir Cordova was the _last;_ and yet, here he was.

Din swallowed and took a step back, watching with hooded eyes as Amir leans back on the cot and spreads his legs. His gaze flickered down to Amir's twitching fingers. Those talented fingers had done some wicked things in the past, and Din knew that Amir was eager to use them, but Din was a patient man -- and he had plans for the two of them. 

Both of them were still dressed, minus the fact that Din had already shed his armor and placed it neatly in the corner. His helmet sat on a storage container, a constant reminder of his oath and promise to the Mandalorian culture -- 

_This is the way._

The mantra repeated over and over in his head as he slowly reached for the hem of Amir's shirt and slowly began to tug it free from Amir's pants. Every time his fingers grazed against bare skin, the mantra made a point to whisper in his ear, mocking him and reminding him of those simple four words. 

_This is the way._

Din's fingers grazed Amir's rib, causing the other man to gasp and lean into the touch.

This _is the way._

Amir tilted his head back, exposing his neck and gripping the edge of the cot with white knuckles. 

_This is the way._

Din finally managed to pull the shirt over Amir's head, toss it aside, return his gaze to Amir, and take a good look at the sight in front of him. The same sight he had buried so long ago. A sight he never thought he would ever see again.

To his relief, the blindfold has not fallen free -- Din smirks to himself, proud of his work. 

His eyes flickered to Amir's toned stomach, where the familiar blaster scar had healed completely. It has shrunk in size and was no longer angry and red; but was now a dull, faded, pinkish-tan.

Two years had truly been a long time.

He reached out to touch the scar and snatched his fingers back when Amir jerked at his touch. 

"Does it still hurt?" Din murmured, his fingers sliding up Amir's ribs and coming to rest on the back of Amir's neck. 

Amir chuckled and responded with a shrug of his shoulders. He cocked his head to the side, leaning into Din's touch. 

"Sometimes," he answered. 

Din watched as the edges of Amir's lips curled up into a grin. 

"Too much physical activity can aggravate it."

Din shook his head and curled his fingers around the back of Amir's neck, holding him still. Amir's breath hitched; that certainly shut him up. Din smirked. He watched as Amir's adam's apple bobbed as he tries to catch his breath. He brushed his lips against the hollow of Amir's throat and chuckled. 

Kriffing hells did he miss this.

He pulled Amir close to his face, their lips inches from one another. He leaned forward and whispered, "I'll be careful."

"Maybe I don't want you to be," came the hoarse reply. 

With a grunt, Din tugged Amir's neck forward and pressed their lips together. To their surprise, the second their lips touch, it was as if no time had passed between them.

Din felt Amir's lips curl into a grin under his mouth and press forward, hoping to deepen the kiss. He wedged a knee between Amir's legs, pressing up against his clothed crotch, eliciting a moan from the pilot. Amir's free hands scrambled to dig themselves into Din's hair and pull them closer together, their chests bumping against one another. Din let out a hiss when their knees knock together, and then they fell back onto the cot in a tangled mess of legs and limbs. 

They battled for dominance, tongues tangling and fighting against each other, just like all the other times. Whether it be up against a dark alley, in the cramped quarters of the _Crest,_ or one of Amir's many hideouts and safehouses. Din felt teeth nip at his bottom lip, and he grunted in response. He let out a growl and pushed harder against Amir, hips shifting and crotches pressed against one another. Amir moaned under his lips and the sound was almost too loud in Din's ear. Although Din has always considered himself to be the stronger of the two, Amir was a born fighter -- and he was not in the mood to lose this battle. 

However, it wasn't long before Amir's hands were pinned above his head, and Din had finally straddled Amir's hips, keeping him still and pinned to the cot. Both panting and heaving from their intense kissing session, Din felt his own cock harden at the beautiful sight below him: Amir, blindfolded, chest heaving, and glistening with beads of sweat.

_Kriffing hells... he's going to be the death of me._ Din swallowed thickly. He sucked in a deep breath and released it with a shaky huff. He leaned down, craning his neck to whisper in Amir's ear. 

"Let me take care of you, Amir," he murmured, his lips brushing against the shell of Amir's ear. He closed his eyes. "Please?"

A whimper tore from Amir's lips; Din grinned. 

"Okay," the answer came out as a gasp. 

Din carefully released his grip from Amir's wrists and began pressing soft, gentler kisses to Amir's body. Starting from the hollow of his neck, Din worked his way down, lower and lower. He took his sweet time, licking, sucking, and nipping at every patch of skin he could touch. His lips flicked over Amir's nipples, causing Amir to arch his back and whine in response. His kisses trailed lower to Amir's stomach and drifted over to the puckered scar. He pressed his lips firmly against the scar and felt Amir squirm under him. 

_"Mando,_ kriff," Amir pleaded. His fingers curled tighter against the sheets as he tilted his head back. "Come on, don't keep me waiting..."

"Patience, Amir, patience," Din reminded him, thumping Amir on the stomach. 

Amir let out an annoyed huff in response, which caused Din to smirk. 

Carefully, Din's fingers trailed down Amir's stomach and hook onto the pilot's belt loop. He went to rid Amir of his pants, unbuckling his belt and sliding it free. Once free, Din dropped it, and the belt clattered to the ground. Din then went to unzipping Amir's pants and pulled each leg free and tossed the pants aside. Now only dressed in black briefs and a blindfold, Amir was exposed and vulnerable. Din took in the sight of the apparent tent in Amir's briefs and hooked his Amir shifted his hips, pushing them forward and nearly knocked Din backward. Din let out a growl and dug his blunt nails into the tops of Amir's thighs, causing the other man to yelp and cry out. 

Din glanced up to Amir and tapped him several times on the thigh in code. 

_Question: Are you okay? Want me to keep going?_

Din waited for Amir to reply, and it was not long before he received his answer. Amir shakily tapped a few more times in response.

_Answer: I'm good. Go ahead._

Nodding, Din gently began kissing the skin just above the waistband of Amir's briefs. His fingers hooked into the briefs, and slowly, he tugged them down to about mid-thigh before stopping. His eyes flickered upward; he had to force himself not to take Amir's gorgeous cock in his mouth.

And what a gorgeous cock it was. Definitely above average in size and decent in girth, salty pre-cum dribbling at the head. Din could feel his mouth begin to salivate at the sight of it just inches from his lips. Din bit down on his bottom lip, fighting the moan that desperately wanted to escape his lips. He remembered long nights of taking Amir's cock in his hand and working him senselessly until Amir came with a choked cry and head slumped over his shoulder, body shaking and coming down from his orgasm. Or the many times he would get down on his knees, take that cock into his mouth and have Amir's hand tangled in his hair. 

Din could stare at Amir like this, lying there against the sheets, bare and exposed, for ages. He licked his lips, eyes darkening. 

Oh, he was going to enjoy this. 

Above him, Din felt the stutter of Amir's hips as he gave his cock a teasing lick and breathy kiss on the head. Amir let out a breathy moan in response. He lapped up the salty pre-cum leaking from the head and heard Amir grunt, " _kriffing hells Mando'._ Smirking, Din closed his eyes and happily and slowly took Amir's cock into his mouth, inch by inch. He traced his hands up the back of Amir's muscled thighs, digging his fingers into the muscle, and bobbing his head in a rhythm both parties would enjoy. Din kept a steady rhythm and held onto Amir's thighs as he sucked on Amir's cock.

Din could hear the rich sounds that Amir was making above him, and sputtering out various versions of his name with 'goddamnit', 'kriffing hells', 'kriff me', and something else he couldn't hear. He continued his work on Amir's cock, giving the head teasing bites and licks as he worked Amir all over. Din felt a hand tangled into his hair - _Amir -_ tugging and urging him forward to take more of his cock. Eagerly, Din took the rest of Amir's cock to the point where he felt the head tap at the back of his throat. 

Before long, Din pulled his lips away from Amir's cock with a wet pop! and checked on the other man. Amir's free hand was gripping the cot's sheets like a lifeline while the other was still tangled in his hair. Din chuckled and nuzzled Amir's freed cock before tugging the briefs off and tossing them aside. He smirked to himself; Amir wouldn't need them anytime soon. Amir released his grip on Din's hair and dropped his now free arm over his face, still out of breath and panting. 

Din pushed himself off the floor and went to work on stripping himself of his shirt and pants. Unlike his armor, he carelessly tossed them to join the growing pile of clothing nestled in the corner. Finally, Din was naked, just like his awaiting partner, and his cock was already aching to take Amir all for himself. 

"Lube?" Din asked with a grunt.

"Nightstand - top drawer," Amir ground out. He let out a shaky breath. "Can't miss it!"

Din strode over to the nightstand and found a half-empty bottle of lube in the top drawer, just as Amir had said. Din uncapped the bottle and squeezed a generous amount onto his middle and index finger. He placed the bottle on the nightstand and left it uncapped: he was not done with it. He crawled back onto the cot, nudging Amir's legs further apart with his knee and leaned down to ease his finger into Amir's waiting entrance. Beneath him, Amir let out a sharp gasp at the intrusion and hissed as Din began working on stretching him open. Din felt Amir shift under him, adjusting to the sensation, gasping and moaning as he added a second finger and finally a third finger. 

"Kriffing hells Mando, you're gonna kill me," Amir slurred. 

Din was positive that Amir's eyes had rolled into the back of his head. And judging by Amir's back having arched off the bed, he was enjoying every second of it. His own talented fingers continue their work on stretching Amir open and prepping him for something much harder and larger. Said fingers press further and deeper, curling and brushing against Amir's sensitive walls, causing him to whimper and whine. 

_"Mando, please. Please. Please..."_

For a second, Din wasn't quite sure if his impatience or Amir's whispers make him finally, _finally_ , removed his fingers and snatched the lube to generously coat his aching cock. Din tossed the bottle aside and wrapped a hand around Amir's hips. He tugged Amir closer and positioned himself to where his cock teased and circled at Amir's stretched entrance. 

_"Please."_

And with that final whispered plea, Din complied with Amir's request, pushed forward, and everything just seemed to fit together.

With a choked cry, Amir's fingers curled against the cot's sheets, his body still squirming and adjusting to the presence of Din's cock inside him. Din grabbed Amir's hips with both hands and began a steady rhythm of pounding Amir further into the cot. Every snap of his hips only shoved Amir harder against the cot that gave weak, creaking sounds of protest. The pace is steady and easy; a good start to what was surely going to be a long night of Din driving himself deeper and further into Amir. Din's grunts and groans were breathy and shaky as his fingers dug themselves into Amir's shaking hips. 

Beneath him, Amir was barely keeping it together. His body trembling, and chest heaving as Din continued to pound into him like his life depended on it. Instinctively, Amir's hooked his ankles around Din's lower back, encouraging him to keep going. With a grunt, Din leaned forward and increased the pace of his thrusts. 

"Mando, please, touch me, _kriffing hells,_ " Amir gasped out in between a particularly throaty moan, his voice sounding like he's on the brink of oblivion. "Please, please, please," he repeated like a chant -- like he's unable to say anything else, anything that's coherent anymore. 

Din knew fully well that Amir could touch himself, give his abandoned cock the attention it so desperately wants, but he's more than happy to oblige Amir's request. Amir threw his head back and clenched his teeth, and from Din's perspective, Amir was nothing short of a mess. Finally, Din answered Amir's prayers by wrapping a hand around his flushed and sensitive length, pumping it in time with those heavy and intense thrusts. 

Suddenly, everything seemed to align; the pleasure shot from Amir's spine all the way down to his toes. The moans were undeniably Amir's, as well as Din's hand around his cock, squeezing it with perfect pressure between those with fervor, filled strokes. Amir arched his back and managed to smother his cry of pleasure into the crook of his elbow as he comes shakily into Din's hand. 

Din groaned as he continued moving in and out of Amir, leaning down to inhale the sweet scent with a rough edge that is coming off Amir. He can smell the sex coming off him, off them. It travels into his nose, and it reminds him of better days, simpler days, and he indulges in it. He can't help himself by relish in such a memory; even if only for a second. He buried his face into Amir's neck, bit down _hard,_ and with a final moan, he hit his orgasm with a final almost feral thrust into Amir. 

Silence fills the room, except for the sounds of heavy and exhausted panting from both men. Shakily, Din pulled out of Amir, careful not to jostle the already exhausted man under him. He crawled to the nightstand to retrieve a cloth and wipe them both clean. Afterward, he tossed the cloth aside and falls beside Amir, landing with a grunt, and shuts his eyes. Amir, still coming down from his own orgasm, slowly drapes an arm over Din's middle and rests his head on his sweaty chest. After a beat of silence, Din untangles himself from Amir's equally sweaty body and swings his legs over the bed's side. 

"Where are you going?" Amir asked.

"I should go check on the kid," Din muttered.

"Wait!"

Amir reached out and grazed his fingers against Din's wrist. His fingers curl around him and hold him there. 

"Stay," he said. "Please?"

Din looked back and discovered that the blindfold was still intact. His gaze flickered over to the door, and eventually, he gets up to retrieve his helmet. He slips it back on and adjusts it to his liking. He sat back down on the cot and reached up to remove the blindfold from Amir's eyes. He tugs the knot free, and the material drops into Amir's lap. Blinking, Amir squints his green-gray eyes and rubs them to adjust to his surroundings. He looks up at Din and they lock onto each other. 

They stare at one another for a while, neither of them uttering a single word. Before long, Amir takes the opportunity to speak and reaches for Din's wrist once more. 

"Will you stay with me? Just for tonight?" Amir asks again. 

Din turns to the door again. The last time he had got up and left Amir after sex was just days after their final job together. With Amir asleep and snoring, he took a transmission from Karga and learned of a new bounty.

No name. No image. Just a simple chain code. 

_Amir's chain code._

Din shook the memory away and looked back to Amir and felt his heart clench at the sight of Amir's eyes, ruffled hair, and bruised neck. Bruises that he made -- Din flinched. He could still see the teeth marks. Swallowing, he finally caved and nodded.

"Fine, I'll stay, but just for tonight."

Din laid back down onto the cot and scooted close to the edge to allow Amir more room. Amir grinned and curled against Din, burying his face into his chest. He looped an arm around Din's middle and snuggled closer. Din tugged the blanket over them, just high enough to cover their waists. 

"Goodnight, Mando," Amir whispered with a yawn. 

Din said nothing. He wrapped his free arm around Amir and held him there. Before long, Amir was asleep, soft snores coming from his lips. Amir was always the first one to fall asleep; and Din found it nothing short of adorable. He leaned over and pressed his helmet against Amir's warm forehead. 

"Goodnight Amir," Din replied. 

_This is the way._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woah boy. that was hot. very hot. 
> 
> i need to cool off for a while. 
> 
> so yeah... leave a kudos or two... maybe a comment as well? ya girl would like that a lot.


	10. nir cuy' olar (i am here)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after.
> 
> Prepare yourselves for a heavy dose of angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends and welcome back! 
> 
> first of all, i want to say this: black lives matter. 
> 
> they have always mattered. and it breaks my heart to see the injustice and violence committed against black people, and i encourage you all to make your voices be heard. 
> 
> speak up. stand up. take a stand. protect your black friends. protect them. love them. tell them they matter. be an ally. be a friend. and most importantly -- fight.
> 
> \- natalie
> 
> also: there is a scene that depicts an intense panic attack. if this is a trigger, then please skip ahead. as someone who has anxiety and struggles on a daily basis, this was a bit of a hard chapter to write. but i do hope you enjoy it.

* * *

_Amir was dreaming._

_Dreaming of years long gone and a simpler time when he was a child, wrapped up in his mother's arms, listening to her hum a melody that would ease his fears and scare away the nightmares. Dreaming of a time when his father had him on his shoulders, parading him around his office like some war hero. Dreaming of when their family was happy, just the three of them. Then, his mother died. An accident, horrible and tragic, but Amir knew better._

_A year later, his father met his stepmother, married, had Maris, and their family was whole again. And for a time, they were happy and content. But then the war happened, and everything Amir held dear was ripped from him._

_His father died. His stepmother and Maris fled into hiding, and he, well, he did what any reckless young man would do and joined the Rebels as a pilot -- something he never dreamed of doing._

_He was young and carefree. Bold and unpredictable. Reckless and full of dreams, dreams of reaching the stars and traveling to the galaxy's farthest reaches._

_And then, he met Callum._

_And everything came to a standstill. Time stopped, and all Amir could see was Callum smiling at him in that ridiculous orange flight suit with curly black hair and that thousand-watt smile that made everyone weak at the knees._

_He never expected someone to come swooping in and turn his life upside down. No, not at all. And he sure as hell did not expect to marry this man either, but he did. And it was the brightest day in Amir's life._

_Amir's dream shifted, contorting, and changing into the darkest day of his life._

_He remembered the feeling of being unhappy with his current predicament. Despite being one of the best pilots in his squadron, his commander had grounded him for unknown reasons. And now, he was on communication duty. Dispatching new orders to his fellow pilots as they came in and watching with a heavy heart as their red dots began disappearing one by one._

_Blip!_

_Another red dot was gone._

_While he expected the losses (while they all expected losses), there was one loss he never did expect._

_And one, he never forgot._

_His finger thumbed over the simple wedding band Callum had slipped on his finger, just months prior. His lips quirked into a fond smile. He had little time to think about Callum as his headset crackled, and an familiar voice came through._

_"Amir? You there?"_

_Amir nodded. "I'm here. Everything okay?"_

_There was some more static._

_"I love you, Amir. You remember that, okay?"_

_Amir felt his heart stutter at the breathlessness in Callum's voice._

_Something was wrong. Horribly wrong, and it made Amir's blood run cold. Callum sounded different... and scared? There was fear in his voice, something that Amir was a stranger to hearing._

_Amir sat up straighter in his chair, his rising voice catching the attention of others around him._

_"Hey, hey, stop talking like that. You're scaring me, Callum. What's wrong?"_

_When he received no response, Amir's heart only began to race and fill with panic. He exhaled through his nose, nostrils flaring. Anger and fear started to settle in. He huffed and shook his head._

_"Kriff this, I'm coming up there!"_

_"No, no, stay there, okay? It's a real dogfight out here - I can't, kriff, I can't lose you, Amir. Take care of yourself, love. Okay? Promise me? PROMISE ME?"_

_"Okay, okay! I promise! I promise! Callum - "_

_"I love you, okay? Never forget that. I love you, Amir. I love - "_

_Harsh static filled the room, and no one dared to make a single noise. The silence was heavy and hung overhead like a gloomy, grey cloud as Amir stood there, eyes wide and mouth agape. He didn't dare try hailing Callum's comm. again; he knew the truth. He knew what had happened to the love of his life. To his husband. To his best friend._

_Callum was gone._

_Amir ripped the headset from his ears and sunk to the floor. He let out a mournful moan. He slowly wrapped his arms around himself, and let out the most horrifying and gut-wrenching scream he could muster._

_no... nononono. no no no._

_NO._

_"NO!"_

* * *

Amir jolted from his wretched nightmare, chest heaving, and the feeling of something firm and solid pressed against his back. A body. Warm and alive. Someone was behind him.

_Mando?_ he wondered.

Sweat beaded down his forehead. Amir managed to wrangle an arm free to wipe away the sweat and dry his hands on the sheets. He swallowed and closed his eyes a moment. He sucked in a deep breath, hoping to calm his racing mind when something cool touched the back of his neck, causing a shiver to shoot up his spine. 

Amir craned his neck to see what was there, and his eyes widened when he came face to face with Mando's beskar helmet. 

_he's still here,_ Amir blinked several times, still unsure of what to do next. _He's actually still here. kriff. Why is he still here?_

"Did you know that you think way too loud?" Mando mumbled, voice still rough from sleep. 

_Kriff, he's awake. How long has he been awake? Did he feel me wake up? Did I wake him up?_

"I thought you'd be gone by now," Amir whispered, his voice coming out a bit ragged. 

Amir sniffed and coughed. Had he been crying? He reached up and touched his cheeks— hot to the touch. He _had_ been crying, and from the looks of it a while too. _kriffing nightmares,_ he mumbled. Amir let out a shaky sigh and wanted nothing more than to turn his head away.

"You asked me to stay, so I stayed," came the reply.

Amir felt his heart clench at Mando's words. 

_but you always leave. you've never been here when I've woken up before. why are you here now? why did you stay?_

He felt Mando's arm tighten its hold on his waist. Amir quickly shifted on his side, his face now inches from Mando's chest. He felt his breath hitch at the movement. He laid there a moment, squeezed his eyes shut, and began hoping, _hoping_ that this was just a dream and he would wake to the sound of AB-7 chirping in his ear and the sound of his beloved ship's engines humming to life. 

However, nothing came.

Just the smooth sound of Mando asking, "Amir? What are you doing?"

"Trying to wake up from this dream," he mumbled, his face now buried in Mando's warm chest. 

He was now wearing a shirt and pants, unlike Amir, who was still naked. The material was soft and worn. Amir wondered if Mando even bothered to get new clothes after the last time they saw one another. Amir figured Mando had dressed sometime during the night when he was asleep.

_But why didn't you just leave?_ he wondered. 

There was a pause, followed by a simple question of, "You think this is a dream?"

"Isn't it?"

_"If this is a dream, then I got to say, it's a pretty good one."_

Amir slowly opened his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He shook his head, tears stinging his eyes. _Kriff, why does everything hurt so much? Kriffing hells my head._

"Amir?"

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I'm sorry, look, it's not you. It's just - " Amir fell short. 

"I know."

_"I love you."_

_"I know, Amir."_

"Amir?"

Amir's lips quivered. He let out a tiny whimper and squeezed his eyes shut. 

"Amir? You still with me?"

_"Amir? Hey, hey, breathe with me, okay? Amir, darling, love, listen to my voice."_

Callum's voice sounded so, so far away. A whisper. But it felt so close; Amir could almost reach out and touch him. 

"Amir, Amir, look at me."

Or was it Mando's?

"Hey, hey, Amir? Focus on me, alright? Listen to my voice." The voice in Amir's ear was muffled and distorted - _mechanical._

_Mando,_ he confirmed. _Definitely Mando._

Hands gripped onto his shoulders and held him there, but Amir's body had lost control, and panic was starting to set in. 

The first thing he felt was the sinking feeling in his stomach as if his heart had dropped and landed with a loud _thump._

Then came the overwhelming feeling of nausea. Amir forced himself to swallow whatever bile tried to creep up the back of his throat. Kriff, he felt like he was going to burst. Everything hurt; his head, neck, back, and even heart felt like it was seizing in his chest.

Agonizing fear crawled its way from the back of his neck to his toes and sunk their clawed fingers into his skin. 

The claws tightened their grip. Harder, harder, and harder until Amir felt he could no longer breathe. 

Under the sheets, his fingers begin to twitch, and his shoulders shook. His body felt like it was on fire. Amir felt the heat licking a trail up his spine and across his stomach.

_Panic attack,_ he reminded himself. _Haven't had one of those in a long time,_ he mused bitterly. 

His heart was racing, beating wildly in his chest as he exhaled through his nose. He closed his eyes and felt Mando's grip on his shoulders tighten. 

They were there to hold him. 

To ground him. 

To protect him. 

Amir shut his eyes and shook his head.

_no. nonono. this isn't right. i gotta get away. I gotta get out. gotta leave. gotta get out. can't let him see me like this. can't make him see me be weak and stupid and vulnerable. I can't I can't I can't._

_runrunrun. runrunrun. getoutgetoutgetout._

_RUN._

Without uttering a single word, Amir quickly scrambled from the bed, untangling himself from the sheets and nearly tripping over himself. He snagged his pants and tugged them on, unaware of Mando calling his name. Amir shot out of the room, leaving behind a stunned Mandalorian in his bed, and took off down the hall towards the cockpit. He paid no heed to AB-7 as she let out a shrill chirp when he nearly knocked her over.

Finally, _finally,_ Amir stumbled into the cockpit. He slammed his hand against the wall, shutting the doors and pressed his bare back against the cold metal. His legs buckled under his weight and fell to the floor, hunched over and gasping for air. He collapsed, landing hard on his stomach before curling into a tight ball. 

_You're weak, Cordova. Spineless; stupid._

_You are a coward._

_You are pathetic._

_YOU DISGUST ME._

Then, there was a voice.

Familiar and soothing. Calm and warm. Feminine. 

His mother. 

_"Amir, Amir, listen to me, my darling boy, listen to my voice, okay? I need you to tell me what are five things you can see."_

_"I - I can't, mum, please. I can't! It hurts too much, please, please! I can't do it!"_

_"Just try for me, sweetie, okay. Now, five things you can see, Amir."_

Amir opened his eyes and shifted his gaze around the room. One by one, he rattled off five items that first caught his attention in the cockpit.

"Display monitor," he hiccupped. He let out a wheeze and placed a hand to his rapidly beating heart. "Chair. Jacket. Boots. Control yoke. Photo of my parents."

_"Good, good. Now, what are four things you can touch, Amir?"_

Amir, slowly but surely, uncurled himself from his protective ball and hauled himself to sit up and press his back against the door. He closed his eyes, chest still tight and breathing uneven. He reached behind him, fingers grazing the panel doors.

"Panel doors." He reached out again, fingers latching onto his spare boots. "My boots. The laces." He dipped his fingers into the boots and felt something cold and metal. He pulled it out and heaved a sigh of relief. He rubbed his thumb over the Rebel pin now between his fingers. "My spare Rebel pin."

_"Keep going, sweetie. Three things you can hear."_

Amir's ears strained to listen to their surroundings. The cockpit was silent as a ghost, but beyond that, something was happening. It was faint, but he could still hear them, chattering and murmuring just down the hall.

"AB chirping. Mando's talking, talking to someone. The kid - " Amr swallowed. "They're laughing."

Amir's lips quirked into a smile. _Kriff that kid was pretty cute._

_"Almost done, Amir. You are doing so well. What are two things you can smell?"_

"Sweat," Amir scrunched up his nose. "And sex." 

_Most definitely his and Mando's._

_"Last one, Amir. Last one. Now, one thing you can taste."_

Amir opened his eyes and felt the tears dripping down his face. He let out a shaky exhale and leaned his head back. 

"Salt," he choked out. 

Amir wiped away the salty tears and closed his eyes. His breathing had finally started to even out. In and out. In and out, just as his mother had taught him all those years ago. 

In. 1. 2. 3. 

Out. 1. 2. 3.

In. 1. 2. 3.

Out. 1. 2. 3. 

"Amir?"

_Mando._

Amir shakily rose to his feet, gripping onto his chair for support before plopping down and digging his heels into his eyes. He saw stars for a moment, but eventually, he dropped his hands into his lap and let out a heavy sigh. His gaze turned to the doors, and his eyes narrowed. Mando was on the other side of those doors, waiting for him to make the first move. 

Exhaling shakily, he reached out and pressed another button on the control panel, forcing the panel doors to open and revealing a fully armored Mando. He was alone; the Child was not at his ankles per usual, which could only mean that Mando left them in the care of AB-7... a bold and surprising move on Mando's part. Amir fully expected to see the Child toddling after Mando, but he did not want to admit that he was starting to grow fond of the little womp rat. 

"Amir?" 

Mando's calm voice stirred Amir from his rambling thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry you had to see that," Amir whispered, leaning back into his chair. He gestured to the state of himself, sweaty and exhausted. "Thought I'd save you the trouble of seeing me at my lowest."

He tilted his head back and shut his eyes. He could still feel the prick of tears that threatened to fall. He let out a laugh, empty, and still dripping with pain. 

Still standing stiff in the doorway, Mando had yet to say a single word besides Amir's name. Amir heard the shuffle of boots and Mando grunting. He did not dare open his eyes until he felt a hand grip his knee. Amir's eyes shot open, and he immediately looked down at Mando. And there he was, kneeling with one hand on his knee and the other resting at his side. 

"Are you okay?" Mando asked. 

Amir held his breath. 

The sheer sincerity in Mando's voice was enough to make Amir's heart skip a beat. He turned his head, wiped at his eyes again, and nodded. The tears were long gone, but everything still hurt. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled shakily. 

"I think so," Amir sighed. "Sorry, you had to see me like that. Thought the nightmares would be gone by now. I mean, it's been five years since he died. You'd think I would've moved on by now."

"Amir, you lost your _riduur_ ," Mando spoke up, voice firm and steady. "You can allow yourself to mourn him."

Amir lowered his head and dropped it into his hands, shaking his head. He didn't want to think about Callum or his death. And he sure as hell did not want Mando to see him like this again. But something in his chest clenched, and deep down, he knew Mando was right. 

The Mandalorian was _always_ right, even when Amir wanted him to be wrong. 

After a beat of silence, Amir finally spoke, voice hoarse and full of pain and sadness. 

"When I lost Callum, a part of me died that day. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest by the Emperor himself," he whispered. "I'd never felt that much pain and loss in my life, not even when my mother or father died. He was everything to me. My best friend, my husband, and now he's gone. I miss him so much. Not a day goes by when I don't think about what we could've had together."

Mando was quiet for a moment, but eventually, he reached up and clasped his free hand around Amir's neck. He brought Amir close to him and pressed his helmet against Amir's forehead. The gesture was comforting and soothing. 

_A keldabe kiss. Fitting._

_"Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum."_

"You know I don't speak Mando'a," Amir smiled, tears stinging at the corners of his eyes.

"It's a remembrance," Mando explained, his thumb rubbing the back of Amir's neck. He continued to speak, saying, "When the battle was over and the dust settled, Mandalorians would say it and then recite the names of the fallen. It's meant to be a way for us to remember those who are gone and no longer with us, but we still carry their memory. Just like you do with Callum."

"What does it mean? The remembrance?"

"It means, 'I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal." 

"I never knew Mandalorians were so poetic," Amir mused with a smug grin. 

Across from him, Amir could feel the smirk on Mando's lips, hiding under that beskar, and hear the soft chuckle that came from him. It was a warm feeling that blossomed in his chest and made him feel - well, whole. 

A feeling he had not felt in a very long, _long_ time.

_Tell him you love him,_ a voice whispered. 

_He needs to know you care about him. You need to tell him the truth. Tell him everything._

_You love him._

Amir sighed and pressed his forehead harder against the cool beskar. His eyes slid shut as he reached up to curl his fingers into Mando's collar. They stayed there like that for some time. Neither of them speaking, just breathing, drinking in each other's energy, and sending waves of sympathy and comfort. 

"Mando, I need to - "

_Incoming transmission. Incoming transmission._

_Sender: Willa Malenko. Subject: URGENT._

_Request to play transmission?_

And just like that, the moment was gone. 

"You should answer that," Mando murmured. "It could be about Maris."

Sensing his hesitation, Amir nodded and drew his forehead away from Mando's. In response, Mando leaned back as well, his fingers still tight around the back of Amir's neck. Amir blinked at Mando and watched with sad eyes as the Mandalorian rose to his feet and left the cockpit. Sighing, Amir swung around in his chair and closed the panel doors with a press of a button. He ran a hand through his hair and played Willa's message. 

A grainy holovid of Willa flickered to life, and the look on her face was nothing short of terror and fear. Amir sat up in his chair and watched as Willa's lips trembled and tears streamed down her cheeks. 

_"Amir? Look, I know we haven't been on good terms lately, but something happened after your friend left last night,"_ Willa cried. _"Kriffing hells, I woke up this morning and found_ this _on my door - "_

The message tore from her face and shifted to where Amir was staring at Willa's front door. 

And there branded on the _inside_ of Willa's front door was something Amir had not seen for many years. A symbol, a symbol that haunted his dreams for years before and after his time with the Rebel Alliance. His heart lept to his throat, and his fingers grasped the arms of his chair. Amir couldn't bare tear his eyes away. 

The Galactic Empire's seal with the initials V.C. stamped in the hardwood of the door in neatly printed letters. 

_"On top of that_ thing _on my door, I got a note... It's addressed to you."_

There was the sound of Willa shuffling around and her shaky voice coming through again.

_"That Mandalorian should have killed you the first time. I do not intend to make that same mistake. Come to where it all began. We await for your arrival - "_

The rest of Willa's message comprised mostly of her yelling and crying at him, demanding an explanation. Amir shook his head and shut off the transmission. He never bothered to send a reply. It was better this way. No one else could get hurt. 

_'Come to where it all began.'_

Amir looked to his right and unlatched the hidden compartment under the control panel. He slowly pulled out the bounty puck and the tracking fob. He ran his thumb slowly over the bounty puck and curled his fingers around it, nearly crushing it to pieces.

_'Come to where it all began.'_

"Bracca," Amir said aloud. 

His mind flickered to the initials on the Empire's seal and visibly flinched. 

V.C.

Visha Cordova.

The Mistress of Coruscant had returned, and she had come with a wicked vengeance.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for taking the time to read this chapter! it was a doozy for me. i struggled a bit in writing it but i feel very accomplished. 
> 
> thanks again and see you guys next chapter!
> 
> \- natalie
> 
> ALSO -- huge shout out to my best friend and fellow writer, Michelle, @Topkicker26 for taking the time to read over my nonsense and give me feedback! go check out her stuff! she's a phenomenal writer and an even greater person!
> 
>   
> MANDO'A TRANSLATIONS:
> 
> riduur - husband, spouse, partner, wife  
> Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum - "I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal".


	11. the mistress of coruscant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a brief look at how the mistress of coruscant came to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good lord - it's been a hot minute, hasn't it? 
> 
> first of all, just a bit of a life update -- i got married! the wedding was small and beautiful and i cried many tears that day. 
> 
> second -- these past few months have been nothing short of anxiety-inducing, stressful, heartbreaking, and a whole laundry list of emotions. but i am a woman of my word and i told myself that i would be posting soon. and here i am, back at it again. with the release of season 2 of The Mandalorian, i knew i had to jump right back onto my fic and wrap up the story of Din and Amir.
> 
> third -- to all of my friends who live in the U.S., i want you to know that i love you and i care about you. your voice is important and it matters. make your voice be heard. and do not be afraid to stand up and fight. 
> 
> so, without further adieu, here is the next chapter of the fic!
> 
> enjoy my loves!
> 
> \- natalie

* * *

Visha Cordova always considered herself to be a very patient person. Of course, even the most patient of people eventually run out of patience. And for Visha, it only took many, many years for this stoic woman to start to slip and the cracks begin to show. 

Now, how did such a proud and patient woman crack in such a way? Well, Visha was bred to be the best -- and she was expected to continue the line of greatness in her family.

Growing up in a world filled with luxury and fortune, Visha was given everything she could have ever asked for. She was given the finest jewelry, wore the most tasteful and expensive clothes, and even more. From a very young age, she showed great promise. She was proper and poised, as any young Coruscanti woman should be. She was obedient and quiet, and she did what was expected of her. And she grew into exactly what her parents expected to be. 

Shortly after turning twenty and after her parents' deaths, Visha married a wealthy businessman, Bruno Cordova, and bore him a son less than a year into their marriage. In the public's eye, she was the perfect example of a wife and mother, doting and charming, but underneath that smooth olive skin and even darker eyes was something much more sinister. 

Behind closed doors and out of holovids' eyes, Visha was cunning and ruthless -- unkind and unsympathetic. 

Not long after her young son's 5th birthday, her husband died rather, well, _unexpectedly_. Some whispered that it was murder, assassins sent by a rival businessman. Others claimed it was suicide, claiming that even Mr. Cordova had his own demons and secrets he wanted to hide. 

But regardless of the rumors, no one dared bat an eye when Visha stepped up and accepted the responsibility of her husband's business. Mr. Cordova was stern and ran a tight ship, but Visha wanted results, and so she went to work. 

Not long after taking over the business, she gained the title of 'Mistress of Coruscant'; and Visha couldn't help but smile at the sound of it. To her, it had a lovely ring to it. 

Of course, while Visha was busy expanding the business, opting to dive into the art of weapon making and other avenues, her son, Alexios, grew up.

And to Visha's surprise, Alexios grew into someone she did not quite expect -- Alexios became a genuinely good person. He was kind and warm. He had a natural gift for helping people (and actually enjoying it too) -- something even his own mother lacked. He loved the arts and history, devoting his time to small restoration projects. He voiced that he wanted to become a doctor, and Visha let him. She supported her only son unconditionally -- he was her legacy after all. 

"A doctor wouldn't be so horrible," Visha mused one evening after watching her son leave one of her many dinner parties. 

As she watched her son stride out of the foyer, on his arm was a young woman, reddish-brown hair and green-grey eyes. Visha had to admit that the young lady was beautiful. Her name was Kiera, and she, too, came from an upstanding family, but her career choice was less than ideal. The woman was a pilot of all things. 

Visha couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the thought of a female pilot; it just wasn't proper. Once all the guests had left, and she was alone, Visha took a careful sip of her wine and tapped her fingers on the glass. 

"A passing fling," Visha said to herself assuredly. "It will pass, and he will find a more suitable wife."

Oh, how wrong, Visha was.

Less than three months later, Alexios stopped by the apartment with the same young lady on his arm again and announced that they were getting married. 

It took every fiber in her being not to shatter the wine glass in her hand in front of her son and his new fiancé. Visha quickly composed a mask of joy and happiness and congratulated the young couple. She welcomed Kiera into their family and expressed that she was so grateful to now have a daughter. 

When the wedding arrived, Visha held her tongue and watched her son marry, who he claimed was the love of his life. And the entire time, she wore a pristine smile that dripped with spite and malice. 

_Love_ , she thought with a scowl as she watched her son dance with his new wife. _Who marries for love anymore?_

Not long after her son married, the Clone Wars began and Visha made it her personal mission to ensure that she would come out on top. As her thriving business empire thrived, her attention was pulled away from keeping watch on her son and his wife. And about two years into her son's marriage, he announced that they were expecting a child.

Then, the Republic was snuffed out and from the ashes rose the Galactic Empire -- and Visha and her own empire benefited greatly from the hundreds of deaths of Jedi at the hands of their own commanders. Any surviving Jedi disappeared to the outskirts of the galaxy and the Emperor's own personal guard dog, Darth Vader, had been placed in charge of hunting them down.

And on the eve of the birth of her grandchild, just a few short days after the end of the Clone Wars, Visha's ruby lips curled into a smirk over the rim of her wine glass. She may have lost control of her son, but she was certainly not going to lose control of this youngblood. Oh no, Visha Cordova was not going to let this one slip through her fingers so easily. 

However, for the second time in her life, Visha was very, _very_ wrong.

Amir was headstrong and stubborn, like his mother. Had a heart of gold, like his father. And all Visha could do was sit with her wine in hand and shake her head. _Oh no, this wouldn't do,_ she told herself one day after Alexios and his little family had come to visit. She watched as Kiera lifted Amir into her arms like a doting mother should act, and rock him after he took a particularly nasty tumble and scratched his knee. _Alexios will just have to do better._

And Visha did indeed get her long-awaited wish. 

She watched from her ivory tower as her son's world crumbled all around him. When her grandson was only twelve, his mother died from an illness that he could not cure. And heartbroken by the loss, Alexios took his son to Alderaan, where he remarried and had another child: a daughter who they named Maris. 

Then, there was the Death Star. Alderaan was destroyed, and her only son was dead -- but then again, he had been dead to her for several years. Amir - the wretched boy - had run off and joined the Rebellion, a foolish and pointless cause, really. And her son's new wife? Visha rolled her eyes at the thought of that paranoid and frantic woman. Useless, she muttered. Useless. 

And that left Visha with only one other option: the girl -- Maris. 

Of course, Visha had always considered herself not only patient but resourceful as well. After her son's death, she kept close tabs on her grandson and granddaughter. She had eyes and ears everywhere; it was no wonder she was often referred to as the Mistress of Coruscant. The Emperor ruled over the galaxy but Visha? Oh, she owned the entire planet. And with that power, she controlled every string like the puppetmaster she was bred to be. 

She watched as the hopeless Rebels blow up the first Death Star, unaware of what else the Emperor had up his billowing sleeves. She watched the Rebel base on Hoth been torn to shreds and the Rebels be forced to retreat. And all the while, she knew about Amir's relationship with that Rebel pilot and their short marriage from the very beginning. She watched as the pilot was killed and how his death consumed Amir with grief and heartache.

It was almost too good to watch.

And then the war was over. The Rebels had won. Darth Vader was dead. And the Emperor had perished. 

With this news, Visha made the necessary arrangements to leave her home of Coruscant and go into hiding, but she was not done with her grandson. Oh no, she was far from ruining him and destroying everything he held dear.

Safe from the New Republic, Visha continued to watch her grandson with the aid of her most loyal contacts. It was through them she learned of Amir's downward spiral into a life of crime and mischief. How he broke off from the Rebellion, taking his beloved X-wing, and began racing across the galaxy, picking up odd jobs wherever he could find them, and thus allowing him to cross paths with a mysterious Mandalorian on the rainy planet of Bracca. 

Visha smiled when her contact returned to her in Coruscant to inform her that Amir had begun a mutual partnership with the Mandalorian. 

_Perhaps this new partnership could prove to be of some use to me,_ she mused. She took another sip of her wine, told the contact to continue tailing them, and report back with any _interesting_ developments.

And after their first successful "mission" on Bracca, Visha saw that Amir and the Mandalorian were the perfect partners. And it was that fateful meeting when Visha knew it was time to plant the seed and watch it grow.

And so, she did just that. 

One job turned into two, then three, then four...

All the while, Visha continued to watch in her ivory tower as her various contacts reported back on Amir and this Mandalorian. It was not until her contact returned from Jakku and told her what had happened on the desert planet. Amir had been shot (by another one of her contacts). However, what surprised her was the Mandalorian's actions. They had just vanished. Visha thanked the contact, paid them in kind, and sent them away. She tapped her fingers on her desk, nodding. The Mandalorian would return; she was sure of it. And she was right. Not long after Amir had healed up from the blaster wound, the Mandalorian did indeed return for Amir and she couldn't help but pour herself a large glass of wine to celebrate her victory.

After Jakku, Visha knew for certain that young Amir had fallen in love again. And with the Mandalorian no less. 

Oh, this was just too easy and sweet. 

This was going to be _very_ interesting to watch. Visha tsked after one of her contacts had confirmed a rumor that Amir was planning on joining the Mandalorian and taking up a position as his partner. She shook her head. She pursed her lips and sent the contact on his merry way. She interlaced her fingers together and thought, _Oh, this wouldn't do. No, no, there was still plenty of work left to be done._

And so, Visha went to work; and the pure chaos that soon followed was all Visha could have ever asked for.

And it started with a simple bounty, and it ended with Amir being left stranded on a rainy planet with a bloody nose and a broken heart.

Of course, Visha had once again miscalculated her grandson. Despite believing that having his heart be broke for a second time would surely drive him to death, Amir Cordova did not perish. In fact, he went on with his life. He continued to jump from planet to planet, lover to lover, but he did not break. 

And for two years of watching Amir seemingly mock her for living, Visha had finally had enough of waiting. 

Frustrated and angry, Visha threw her wine glass against the wall, shattering it and staining the white walls with pinkish-red. She was alone and she was grateful for it. She inhaled sharply and her eyes flickered over to her window. She carefully composed herself, straightening her dress, and moved across the room to the window. Now was the time to deliver the most devastating blow.

She retrieved her comm. link and activated it. A tick later and a garbled voice came through.

_"Mistress?"_

"I need you to go to Hosian Prime. Find the girl and bring her to me."

_"Yes, Mistress."_

Visha turned off the comm. link and sighed. She closed her eyes and smiled. 

It would not be long now. 

Amir Cordova would fall, even if it was the last thing the Mistress of Coruscant would ever do.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not as long as my other chapters BUT -- i thought it would be beneficial to introduce the main villain of our story: visha cordova, the mistress of coruscant.
> 
> thank you all for reading the chapter and i promise that you will be reading the next chapter very soon!! 
> 
> \- natalie

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! leave a comment or a kudos if you can!


End file.
